Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
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An anthropological research into the human-to-car relationship, specifically considering those who acknowledge themselves as “car enthusiastic” beyond its functions of mobility, based in and around...Show moreAn anthropological research into the human-to-car relationship, specifically considering those who acknowledge themselves as “car enthusiastic” beyond its functions of mobility, based in and around Stuttgart, Germany. The capital of Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart is the birthplace of the internal combustion engine [ICE] automobile as we recognise it today. Revolutionary at its point in time, the ubiquity of the ICE automobile in modern society is now one of the world’s leading causes of pollution. As the EU pushes the industry to move away from the familiar, this research zooms into those whose object of passion is being forced to transform. Four months of multi-sited fieldwork, engaging predominantly with methods of photography during drive-along interviews and participant observation, gave rise to a discussion of the human-car relationship through the prevalent conceptual lenses of ‘value’ and ‘play’. A photobook, as the multimodal counterpart of this ethnographic project, elaborates on the diversity and ambiguity of the human-car experience. Drawing on an implicit argument that newer technologies do not immediately make older ones redundant, the book format invites the reader to reflect on their own relationship with the (ICE) automobile through a compilation of photos from the field placed in montage, alongside anecdotes and questions.Show less
Photography and identity, of the photographer, and of the photographed places, have a close relationship to one another. This espeically is a central theme in street photography. This thesis aims...Show morePhotography and identity, of the photographer, and of the photographed places, have a close relationship to one another. This espeically is a central theme in street photography. This thesis aims to explore street photography photobooks' ability to reflect the identity of the photographer, as well as the identities and impressions of different cities through the creative process of bookmaking by photographers. This study starts with a historical and theoretical framework to explain the significance of photobook as a genre, as well as the meaning and values of street photography. The research then presents case studies on six publications produced by the famous Dutch photographer and photobook maker, Ed van der Elsken, in order to examine the underlying narratives, themes and ideas in the photobooks.Show less
