Friday – Saturday, May 9 – 10, 2025 – 9am – 8pm both days, The Franke Institute for the Humanities
Minority groups are often underrepresented in official archives, which has resulted in their continuing marginalization in historiography. Critical archive scholars argue for empowering such groups by developing and investigating archival collections. This symposium intends to expand this approach by demonstrating how the visual practices of underrepresented groups can be studied through underutilized data sources. To this end, the symposium focuses on indigenous, black, and diaspora communities seen through their visual production, with the presumption that the vernacular representations of everyday life can provide substantial insights into evolving minority identities. Therefore, it explores the interplay of vernacular visual practices and the transformations of minority identities by posing two broad research questions: What is the role of vernacular visual practice in shaping minority identities? How does looking at identity through vernacular images challenge pervasive representations of minority groups? Learn more here.
Hosted by Franke Institute and co-sponsored by COSAS