During the first half of the twentieth century, photojournalism and documentary photography played an important role in the attempts of Americans to engage with the drastic economic and cultural changes of the period. Through an exploration of the work of great American photographers such as Robert Capa, Dorothea Lange and Gordon Parks, and the distribution of their works/photographs in major newspapers such as Life and National Geographic, and their use by governmental agencies, the course will familiarize the students with the history of documentary photography and the origin of photojournalism, between the years 1900-1950.  The course will focus on the social, political, technological, economic and intellectual contexts of American history, in which documentary tradition and photojournalism evolved. In addition, the course will cover the ways documentary photography and photojournalism redefined the American public’s opinion regarding issues of poverty, race, gender, war, nationalism, colonialism and foreign policy, as well as the ethical debates aroused by these practices.