East Asian Studies Speaker Series: Social Engagement of Documentary Photography in China: Navigating in Troubled Waters

Description

Gaochao He, a political scientist and visiting professor in the East Asian Studies Program at Johns Hopkins University, will give a talk entitled "Social Engagement of Documentary Photography in China: Navigating in Troubled Waters" as part of the East Asian Studies Speaker Series.

The evolution—and survival—of documentary photography in China has been contingent and vulnerable, even as it has offered powerful and urgent commentary on contemporary issues. Photographers face high risks as they navigate politically treacherous waters. How have the lines between social and political issues been affected by the rise of the market economy and the fluctuation of regime politics? What kind of strategic interactions can be found among photographers, societal actors, market actors, and bureaucrats? This talk will explore these dynamics by examining the works and personal stories of some of the most influential documentary photographers active in China today.

Gaochao He is a senior research associate at the Labor and Worklife Program of Harvard Law School and taught at Sun Yat-Sen University in China from 2004-2017.

This event is co-sponsored by the Political Science Department.

Please attend the event by using the Zoom link.