Visualizing Imperialism & the Philippines, 1898-1913 from edX

In this course we use visual records as a way of understanding history at the turn of the 20th century. Learners will learn how to navigate visual primary sources and use them to investigate:

the historical debates that emerged in political cartoons;
issues of race and prejudice in both cartooning and photography;
photography as a tool of power in conquest and colonization;
the often forgotten Philippine-American war;
ethnographic photography;
how the theme of civilization and barbarism appeared to justify imperial wars;
early use of cross-cultural photography in mass media.

The roundtable discussion format of the course will set up a discursive and exploratory style of learning. Learners will be exposed to multiple points of view as the teaching team brings together scholars who have studied the topics from different disciplines. Learners will also learn how to work with visual evidence as primary sources to assemble arguments.

For teachers, the course presents a number of units developed for the MIT Visualizing Cultures (VC) project. The instructors are the authors who created the VC resource, and the course provides a pathway into the VC website content. The VC website is widely taught in both secondary and college courses, and is the primary resource for this course. Educators can selectively pick modules that target needs in their classrooms; the course can be used in a “flipped” classroom where students are assigned modules as homework.

What's inside

Learning objectives

The study of history and how it uses visual sources
How political and cultural debates that occurred then shed light on similar issues today
How to work with visual images

How to engage challenging, at times disturbing, historical sources
The study of databases and visual communication.
This course invites learners into the process of exploring history through content that looks back at a complex millennial time. learners will acquire background and skills that will help with:

The study of history and how it uses visual sources
How political and cultural debates that occurred then shed light on similar issues today
How to work with visual images
How to engage challenging, at times disturbing, historical sources
The study of databases and visual communication.
This course invites learners into the process of exploring history through content that looks back at a complex millennial time. learners will acquire background and skills that will help with:

Syllabus

Module I—Introduction

This module introduces the MIT Visualizing Cultures project and approach to history through the

, the source for the content and methodology.

Overview of course content, methods of visual analysis, and background on Philippine and US history.

Instructional team introduce their approaches to visual history, and present critical questions of race, power, and intercultural exchange that will frame discussion throughout the course.

The evolution of digital education.

Module II—Civilization & Barbarism: Cartooning and Global Imperialism

Based on the Visualizing Cultures unit, “

”.

This unit explores pro- and anti-imperialist imagery in the United States and international cartooning on the subject of “civilization” and colonialism at the turn of the century.

How did Americans learn about U.S. colonialism in the Philippines?

How did Filipinos and US-based critics of empire challenge and question American policies?

How can visual evidence from the past serve as the basis for new digital forms of history?

Module III—Photography and Power I: the Philippine-American War

Based on the Visualizing Cultures unit: “

This module explores the role of photography in the Philippine American War (1898-1902).

How did soldiers represent war experiences for themselves and for audiences in the United States?

How did Filipinos respond to US colonization, and what role did visual images play in their responses?

Module IV—Photography & Power II: How Photography Colonized the Philippines

This module uses the photographic archive of US colonial official Dean Worcester to consider relationship of photography to anthropology and colonial governance.

How did photography serve as a basis for cultural engagement—both in positive and negative ways?

What are the “ethics of looking”? What responsibilities do we have today when confronting potentially difficult images?

Module V—Conclusion: Images of Power/the Power of ImagesA roundtable discussion on the relationship between visual images and US expansion, as well as the contemporary implications of teaching and disseminating images in a digital environment.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores how political and cultural debates that occurred at the turn of the century shed light on similar issues today

Teaches the study of history and uses visual sources in that study

Teaches how to work with visual images, which is a core skill for both students and professionals

Develops a foundation in visual communication and databases, which are core skills for both students and professionals

Taught by John W. Dower, Christopher Capozzola, and Ellen Sebring, who are recognized for their work in history and visual sources

Examines the complexities of how the theme of civilization and barbarism appeared to justify imperial wars

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Visualizing Imperialism & the Philippines, 1898-1913 with these activities:

Review political cartoon analysis

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Political cartoons are frequently used in the course and understanding how to analyze them is an important skill to have.

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Review the elements of political cartoons, such as symbols, caricatures, and labels
Practice analyzing political cartoons from different perspectives

Read 'The Scramble for Africa'

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This book provides a comprehensive overview of the European colonization of Africa, which is a key topic in the course.

View The Tree Hunters on Amazon

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Read the book and take notes on the main arguments
Write a summary of the book

Explore the MIT Visualizing Cultures website

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The course is based on the MIT Visualizing Cultures project, so exploring the website will give you a deeper understanding of the course material.

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Visit the MIT Visualizing Cultures website
Explore the different modules and resources

One other activity

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Discuss the historical debates that emerged in political cartoons

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Discussing the historical debates that emerged in political cartoons will help you to understand the different perspectives on the issues of the time.

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Meet with a group of peers to discuss the historical debates that emerged in political cartoons
Share your own insights and listen to the perspectives of others

Career center

Learners who complete Visualizing Imperialism & the Philippines, 1898-1913 will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Teacher

Teachers create lesson plans and lead instruction for students. Courses like these are especially valuable for teachers, as they make up the content that is taught in classrooms. Moreover, this course comes from MIT and has a website associated with it. This makes it easy to incorporate the material into lesson plans and coursework.

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Political Scientist

Political Scientists study political systems, structures, and behaviors. This course may be useful for developing skills in researching and analyzing political topics, especially as it relates to history.

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Anthropologist

Anthropologists study the behavior, origin, and development of humans. This course may be useful for building a foundation in understanding different cultures, especially under the themes of civilization and barbarism that are covered in the course.

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Historian

Historians research and write about the past by studying historical documents and sources. This course may be useful for building a foundation in researching historical documents, especially when combined with other related courses.

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Sociologist

Sociologists study the development, structure, and functioning of human society. This course may be useful for developing skills in researching and analyzing the relationship between society and the topics covered in the course.

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Archivist

Archivists preserve, catalog, and maintain historical documents and records. This course may be useful in building a foundation in how to maintain artifacts and documents from the past.

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Policy Analyst

Policy Analysts research, analyze, and make recommendations on public policy issues. This course may be useful for developing skills in researching and analyzing public policy issues, especially as it relates to the topics covered in the course.

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Writer

Writers develop and write content for a variety of purposes. This course may be useful for developing skills in researching and writing about history and current events, especially when combined with other skills in digital humanities.

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Editor

Editors oversee and manage the creation of publications. As this course provides methods for researching history, this course may be useful in developing skills to oversee and manage publications related to history.

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Journalist

Journalists research, write, and report on news and current events. This course may be useful for developing skills in researching and writing about history and current events, especially when combined with other skills in digital media and journalism.

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Geographer

Geographers study the spatial distribution of people and things on Earth. This course may be useful for understanding how the topics covered in the course relate to geographical factors.

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Economist

Economists study the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. This course may be useful for understanding how the topics covered in the course relate to economic factors.

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Museum curator

Museum Curators oversee collections. To do this, they need a broad range of knowledge about the history and context of what is in a collection. As this course covers tools for researching history and visual sources, this course may be useful in building a foundation for this role.

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Lawyer

Lawyers advise and represent clients in legal matters. This course may be useful for building a foundation in understanding the history of law and legal issues, especially as it relates to the topics covered in the course.

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Social Worker

Social Workers help people to cope with personal and social problems. This course may be useful for developing skills in understanding the history of social issues, especially as it relates to the topics covered in the course.

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Visualizing Imperialism & the Philippines, 1898-1913

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