Humanitarian Photography: A History (Human Rights in History)

For well over a century, humanitarians and their organizations have used photographic imagery and the latest media technologies to raise public awareness and funds to alleviate human suffering. This volume examines the historical evolution of what we today call “humanitarian photography” – the mobilization of photography in the service of humanitarian initiatives across state boundaries – and asks how we can account for the shift from the fitful and debated use of photography for humanitarian purposes in the late nineteenth century to our current situation in which photographers market themselves as “humanitarian photographers.” This book is the first to investigate how humanitarian photography emerged and how it operated in diverse political, institutional, and social contexts, bringing together more than a dozen scholars working on the history of humanitarianism, international organizations and nongovernmental organizations, and visual culture in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. Based on original archival research and informed by current historical and theoretical approaches, the chapters explore the history of the mobilization of images and emotions in the globalization of humanitarian agendas up to the present. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Series information 5 Title page 7 Copyright information 8 Table of contents 9 List of illustrations 11 List of contributors 15 Acknowledgments 21 Introduction The Morality of Sight: Humanitarian Photography in History 23 Notes 38 1 Picturing Pain 44 Pioneers in Pictorial Journalism: Evangelicals and the Role of Images in Humanitarianism 48 The Camera Cannot Lie? The Integrity of Images in a Sensationalist Age 54 Competing Visions of Humanitarianism in an Imperial Era 57 Conclusion: The Lure and Legacy of Pictorial Humanitarianism 64 Notes 66 2 Framing Atrocity 69 The Language of Atrocity and Humanitarian Sentiment 70 “Their Bones Speak”: The Indian Famine, 1876–1878 73 The Congo Reform Association, 1903–1913 77 Notes 82 3 The Limits of Exposure 86 Notes 107 4 Photography, Visual Culture, and the Armenian Genocide 111 1 111 2 113 3 115 4 122 Conclusion 131 Notes 135 5 Developing the Humanitarian Image in Late Nineteenth- and Early Twentieth-Century China 137 Introduction 137 The Chinese Context 138 Helping Others, Chinese Style 140 Founding of the Chinese Red Cross 141 The Institutionalization of the Chinese Red Cross Society 144 Imagery in Red Cross Publications 145 A Call to Arms: Imagery and Action in Red Cross Photography 150 Chinese Red Cross Images Abroad 153 Conclusion 155 Notes 158 6 Photography, Cinema, and the Quest for Influence 162 Introduction 162 “Making War More Human” 164 The Propaganda Commission 166 The Technology 168 The Iconography of the ICRC 171 The ICRC on Stage 172 Between War Victims and Beneficiaries of Humanitarian Assistance 174 Conclusion 178 Notes 180 7 Children and Other Civilians 187 Children in Social Context 189 Mere Children: Save the Children Fund 198 Feed the Children, Save the Revolution 204 Wartime Disorder, Displacement, Destruction: Children as Civilians 207 Notes 215 8 Sights of Benevolence 222 Introduction 222 Photographers of Relief 225 “Public Relation Stories” 227 Rehabilitating Children 233 UNRRA’s Angle 237 Victims or Recipients? 239 Notes 241 9 All the World Loves a Picture 245 Introduction 245 The Newsletter and World Health: Two Visual Outlets of the WHO 248 1949–1959: The Tale of Victory 253 1959–1973: A Script for Development 257 Technical Assistance and Humanitarian Narratives, a Strange Union 260 Conclusion: All the World Loves a Picture 265 Notes 266 10 “A” as in Auschwitz, “B” as in Biafra 271 The International Media Event “Biafra” 275 Biafra and the Rhetoric of Holocaust Comparisons 279 Conclusion: Biafra and the Fragmented Universalization of the Holocaust 286 Notes 290 11 Finding the Right Image 297 The Story Breaks: Imagining the Ethiopian Famine in 1984–1985 and Its Consequences 302 Positively the Truth: New Turns in the Imaging of Development 306 Cultural Consequences 315 Notes 316 12 Dilemmas of Ethical Practice in the Production of Contemporary Humanitarian Photography 319 Setting the Scene: En Route to Shoot 319 The Birth of Regulation 320 Contemporary Communications and the Image Industry 321 Regulating an Exploitative Medium 323 Operationalizing Ethics 327 Ethical Tensions 338 Notes 340 Select Bibliography 345 Index 361 For Well Over A Century, Humanitarians And Their Organizations Have Used Photographic Imagery And The Latest Media Technologies To Raise Public Awareness And Funds To Alleviate Human Suffering. This Volume Examines The Historical Evolution Of What We Today Call 'humanitarian Photography' - The Mobilization Of Photography In The Service Of Humanitarian Initiatives Across State Boundaries - And Asks How We Can Account For The Shift From The Fitful And Debated Use Of Photography For Humanitarian Purposes In The Late Nineteenth Century To Our Current Situation In Which Photographers Market Themselves As 'humanitarian Photographers'. This Book Is The First To Investigate How Humanitarian Photography Emerged And How It Operated In Diverse Political, Institutional, And Social Contexts, Bringing Together More Than A Dozen Scholars Working On The History Of Humanitarianism, International Organizations And Nongovernmental Organizations, And Visual Culture In Africa, Asia, The Middle East, Europe, And The United States. Introduction: The Morality Of Sight: Humanitarian Photography In History / Heide Fehrenbach And Davide Rodogno -- Picturing Pain: Evangelicals And The Politics Of Pictorial Humanitarianism In An Imperial Age / Heather Curtis -- Framing Atrocity: Photography And Humanitarianism -- Christina Twomey -- The Limits Of Exposure: Atrocity Photographs In The Congo Reform Campaign / Kevin Grant -- Photography, Visual Culture, And The Armenian Genocide / Peter Balakian -- Developing The Humanitarian Image In Late 19th And Early 20th Century China / Caroline Reeves -- Photography, Cinema, And The Quest For Influence: The International Committee Of The Red Cross In The Wake Of The First World War / Francesca Piana -- Children And Other Civilians: Photography And The Politics Of Humanitarian Image-making / Heide Fehrenbach -- Sights Of Benevolence: Unrra's Recipients Portrayed / Silvia Salvatici -- All The World Loves A Picture: The World Health Organization's Visual Politics, 1948-1973 / Thomas David And Davide Rodogno -- A As In Auschwitz, B As In Biafra: The Nigerian Civil War, Visual Narratives Of Genocide, And The Fragmented Universalization Of The Holocaust / Lasse Heerten -- Finding The Right Image: British Development Ngos And The Regulation Of Imagery / Henrietta Lidchi -- Dilemmas Of Ethical Practice In The Production Of Contemporary Humanitarian Photography / Sanna Nissinen. Heide Fehrenbach, Northern Illinois University, Davide Rodogno, Graduate Institute Of Geneva. Includes Bibliographical References ( Pages 323-337) And Index. This volume investigates how humanitarian photography - the mobilisation of photography in the service of humanitarian initiatives across state boundaries - emerged and how it operated in diverse political and social contexts. The first book to investigate how humanitarian photography - the mobilization of photography in the service of humanitarian initiatives across state boundaries - emerged and how it operated in diverse political and social contexts, bringing together more than a dozen scholars working on the history of humanitarianism, international and nongovernmental organizations, and visual culture. For well over a century, humanitarians and their organizations have used photographic imagery and the latest media technologies to raise public awareness and funds to alleviate human suffering. This volume examines the historical evolution of what we today call 'humanitarian photography' - the mobilization of photography in the service of humanitarian initiatives across state boundaries - and asks how we can account for the shift from the fitful and debated use of photography for humanitarian purposes in the late nineteenth century to our current situation in which photographers market themselves as 'humanitarian photographers'. This book is the first to investigate how humanitarian photography emerged and how it operated in diverse political, institutional, and social contexts, bringing together more than a dozen scholars working on the history of humanitarianism, international organizations and nongovernmental organizations, and visual culture in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States For well over a century, humanitarians and their organizations have used photographic imagery and the latest media technologies to raise public awareness and funds to alleviate human suffering. This volume examines the historical evolution of what we today call'humanitarian photography'- the mobilization of photography in the service of humanitarian initiatives across state boundaries - and asks how we can account for the shift from the fitful and debated use of photography for humanitarian purposes in the late nineteenth century to our current situation in which photographers market themselves as'humanitarian photographers'. This book investigates how humanitarian photography emerged and how it operated in diverse political, institutional, and social contexts, bringing together more than a dozen scholars working on the history of humanitarianism, international organizations and nongovernmental organizations, and visual culture in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.