Documenting the Middle East: Community and Oral History

Studies the documentary record of the Middle East in photography, film, and oral history. From early studio photography to recent community and student production, considers documentary expression's meaning and function. Analyzes the role of digital humanities and social media in documentary research. Uses best practices of documentary work. Includes a service-learning, hands-on documentary component: recording diverse voices from Iraqi, Syrian, and Palestinian communities. Student-produced fieldwork from the class will be permanently housed at Duke's Archive of Documentary Arts. Open only to students in the Focus Program. Department consent required.