Looking At Iran

Photographs and other images can be important sources of information to anthropologists (a social scientist who studies the origins and social relationships of human beings) as they provide clues about societies and how people live. The following photographs, taken in Iran, provide a glimpse into modern Iranian society.

Acting as an anthropologist, your assignment is to select three of the photos provided, gather as much data as possible from the photos, and then anaylze the data. When you have recorded your observation and analysis, enter a title for your photo essay, enter your name(s), choose a layout, and generate your essay. Be prepared to present your essay to your classmates.

Note: Be careful about drawing conclusions. While photos can provide clues about societies and how people live, be aware that photos, like written documents, come from a point of view. You need to think about both the content of the photo and the point of view of the photographer. What additional questions does the photo raise for you?

1. Choose your photos

Select three photos by clicking on the thumbnails on the left. Selected photos will appear on the right above the essay field.

2. Write an observation and interpretation for each photo

Use the questions provide on the Photo Analysis Guideline to help you. What hypotheses can you make about Iran from this photo? Remember, you should be cautions about drawing conclusions. Instead, you should begin your hypotheses with phrases like “It’s possible” or “It might be.”

 
 

To clear a photo, click it, then select another.








3. Choose your layout



After generating your essay, you can hit the back button if you need to edit your work.