Abstract
In this paper, I consider family photographs as an integral part of decolonial pedagogies, emphasizing their significance for transdisciplinarity and transhistoricity. My research examines the processes of Turkish identity and citizenship formation through self-representations in family photographs from the 1920s and 1930s. Drawing on this work and the methodology of cultural analysis, I have developed a teaching practice in which students bring one or more family photographs of their choice to class. This exercise allows them to engage with a series of questions related to the course topic or a specific class theme, exploring issues such as personal and collective memory, social and cultural identity, citizenship and non-citizenship, mobilities, Eurocentric modernity, and decoloniality. This practice also encourages students to reflect on the notions of ‘family photograph’ and ‘family’ itself. The photograph may be either a digital object or a print, prompting discussions on its materiality. We also consider its audience and circulation, examining how these may have changed over time. Additionally, this engagement with family photographs can be incorporated into coursework through written assignments. Recognizing the various scales of intimacy and care embedded in this practice, I argue that working with family photographs offers a compelling method for developing new decolonial pedagogies adaptable to diverse educational contexts.
Presenters
Ozge Baykan CalafatoLecturer, Literary and Cultural Analysis, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Past and Present in the Humanistic Education
KEYWORDS
FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS, MEMORY, DECOLONIALITY, PEDAGOGY, CULTURAL IDENTITY, MOBILITIES
