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Journal of Visual Culture
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The Childhood of Human Rights: The Kodak on the Congo

Sharon Sliwinski

Department of English and Cultural Studies, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4L9; sliwin{at}mcmaster.ca

This article examines the Congo reform movement's use of atrocity photographs in their human rights campaign (c. 1904–13) against Belgian King Leopold, colonial ruler of the Congo Free State. This material analysis shows that human rights are conceived by spectators who, with the aid of the photographic apparatus, are compelled to judge that crimes against humanity are occurring to others. The article also tracks how this judgement has been haunted by the potent wish to undo the suffering witnessed.

Key Words: atrocity • Congo • crimes against humanity • human rights • phantasmagoria • photography

Journal of Visual Culture, Vol. 5, No. 3, 333-363 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1470412906070514
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