Dress and fashion practices in Africa and the diaspora are dynamic and diverse; whether on the street or on the fashion runway. Focusing on the dressed body as a performance site; African Dress explores how ideas and practices of dress contest or legitimize existing power structures through expressions of individual identity and the cultural and political order.Drawing on innovative; interdisciplinary research by established and up and coming scholars; the book examines real life projects and social transformations that are deeply political; revolving around individual and public goals of dignity; respect; status; and morality.With its remarkable scope; this book will attract students and scholars of fashion and dress; material culture and consumption; performance studies; and art history in relation to Africa and on a global scale.
#1490809 in eBooks 2013-08-21 2013-08-21File Name: B00EPCSD12
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. A missed opportunityBy FEVDThe book only has two chapters. The first chapter consists of interviews with photography teachers. The second chapter consists of assignments used by the teachers.The second half of the book it the most interesting. I counted 73 assignments and these are fully described the way they would be presented to a student. There is a wide range of assignments ranging from assignments you would expect at a academy of arts to assignments more suited for applied photography courses.If you are just starting out teaching photography; this could be very helpful. If you studied photography; I expect you will be mostly familiar with variations to these exercises. Although it can be helpful to read assignments suited for other levels than the one you did (for example if you studies at an academy of arts an are teaching at a technical school).The big disappointment are the interviews. They are very basic and extremely repetitive.Almost every interview has the same questions or variations on the same topics. That is 48 interviews without any commentary or reflection from the autor or any intention by the author to go past the surface.The topic On the value of studying photography is repeated in 11 of the 48 interviews.The question On a teaching philosophy comes back 12 times.The topic On teaching photography is repeated in 25 interviews.On why students should study photography is asked 13 times.And so on.You would expect the author (although Michelle Bogre doesnt actually write anything besides the introduction) would condense the outcome of the question in one chapter dealing with each topic.I think a book on teaching photography is a great idea. An what photography teacher would not want to read an interview with Joan Fontcuberta about his teaching method. There are some very interesting issues that are touched upon (for example what are your responsibilities as an institution when you know the vast majority of your photography students will not become professional photographers). But these issues are never explored. Furthermore; the most interesting teachers get just as much space in the book as the least interesting. And again; the questions are extremely superficial (i.e. On whether contemporary photography programs should include analog processes; On why students should study photography; On teaching video; On whether video should be taught in a photo program; On the love of photography; On how teaching photography has changed).Final note: If you are curious about the assignments that other teachers give; this book can very interesting.Just so you know; you can rent the Kindle version and you will need at most couple of hours to read the whole book.About me: I studied documentary photography at the Royal Academy of Arts in the Netherlands and teach documentary photography at the Academy of Arts in Medellin; Colombia.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE FOR PHOTO EDUCATORS!!By COSMIC TRAVELERAre you a photography educator? If you are; then this book is for you! Author Michelle Bogre; has done an outstanding job of writing a book that arises out of her love for photography and teaching; and; a desire to create a resource for her colleagues in photographic education.Bogre; begins by looking at some of the interviews that she conducted of photographic educators; which led to her conclusion that photography education is not in a crises; and; it is not facing a threshold unprecedented change; as some educators and critics have recently proclaimed. Then; the author discusses why photography is not dead: It is evolutionary and revolutionary. She continues by showing you why these new concerns about photography education are criticism redux; it has been questioned and criticized almost as long as it has been a field. Next; the author shows you that even as the study of photography thrived; it was criticized and interrogated. Then; she explains why photography educators cannot agree on what should be taught or where photography should reside in an institution. The author continues by explaining why in the past few years; some educators have suggested that teaching students how to make and interpret photographs is obsolete. Next; she discusses why some critics have posited that photography education and photography; faces an unprecedented technological; social and educational change; and; even that it is at an unprecedented historical threshold. Then; the author explains that photographic education is being transformed for sure; but more by the changes in education than by the development of digital technology. She continues by answering the question: If photography education is so varied; and the type of education a student receives changes dramatically; based on the choice of college or university; why should students study photography? Next; the author deals with how the photographic image has phenomenal power in our culture; and; more so now than ever when anyone with a smartphone has a camera; and with that camera is a photographer. Then; she explains that with the increase in the number of photographs produced; comes a reactive decrease in understanding what a great photograph looks like. The author then continues by discussing why photography education is not in crisis; because photography is not in a crisis. Next; she explains why photography education is not at a crisis. Then; the author deals with why we should stop justifying our value by how many students become photographers and focus on transforming them into educated; technically savvy citizens. She then redirects herself by stating that even though anyone with a smartphone can take a picture; everyone with a smartphone is not a photographer. The author continues by explaining that of the hundreds of billions of photographs on Facebook; they only matter to the Facebook user who posted them; and their friends. Next; she explains that even if a photography student never quite makes a photograph that really matters; she or he is still acquiring transferable skills. Then; the author answers the question of when and if to teach theory; or; more precisely: How much critical theory should one teach at the undergraduate level? She then considers whether to introduce students to photography as a process of seduction; rather than through theoretical concepts. Next; the author was rather surprised from her interviews of photo educators; by how conservative most photography educational programs seem to be. Finally; she explains that if we can remain open to the fluidity of ideas about photography and images; the twenty-first century will be an exiting time for photographic education.This excellent book is a snapshot of photographic education in the first decade of the 21st century; based on interviews with 47 photo educators in six countries: China; South Africa; Finland; United States; United Kingdom and Spain. Thus; the key question that the author wants you to take away and answer from this great book is: If we succeed in becoming post-photography programs and departments; then the question of the future will not be what is the purpose of a photographic education; but what is the value of an education without photography?