Exploring Histories of Conflict: Capturing Conflict: Exploring the history of war photography

Exploring Histories of Conflict: Capturing Conflict: Exploring the history of war photography - Tuesday, 6:30-8:30pm, 12 May 2026 to 16 June 2026

We very much look forward to welcoming both new and returning students to the University of Southampton.

We would like to advise that you will need to have the appropriate technology and suitable internet connection in place, as we will be making use of online materials. At Southampton, we use a virtual learning environment (VLE) called Blackboard which is used to deliver learning materials and real-time online teaching for our students.

Exploring Histories of Conflict: Capturing Conflict: Exploring the history of war photography

From Roger Fenton’s use of a horse-drawn ‘photography van’ to capture the Crimean War (1853-1856) through grainy black and white images to the moment-to-moment documentation afforded by smartphones today, photographs have fundamentally shaped our understanding of modern war. In this course, students will learn how photography and the role of photographers has evolved in the context of conflicts. This will include consideration of what has made certain photographs iconic and the impact of censorship, innovation, and changing norms on what captures the public’s imagination. War photography is part of the broader story about how visual documentation informs and influences perceptions about political events, and this course will encourage you to think critically about what role the increasing democratisation of information and technology plays in this story. Using a broad selection of reading and photographs, each session will highlight the various perspectives that have historically determined what we see of war via editorial and curatorial selection, and you will have the opportunity to visually analyse images as well as engage in free-ranging discussions. Weekly topics will include: the early days of photography; propaganda and censorship; photographing protest movements; humanitarian photography and the 24-hour news cycle; and photography in the Digital Age.

This 6-week course will take place at the Avenue Campus on Tuesday evenings from 6:30pm to 8:30pm startting on 12 May 2026 and finishing on 16 June 2026.

Please see our price list below:

Standard price - £115.00
Staff/student/alumni price - £100.00

Please note: If you select the staff/student/alumni price option, you must use an online store account that has been set up with your University email address and fill out your University staff, student or alumni ID number when prompted as part of the questionnaire data section.

When booking a course please consult our Terms and Conditions which set out our cancellation and refund policy.

Payment using the Online Store can only be completed via Visa and Mastercard Credit/Debit Card or PayPal.  AMEX is not accepted.
If you have not previously created an account for the Online Store, you will need to create an account to make a booking.