When presidents become TikTok stars, influencers report live from bomb shelters and photographers capture the unimaginable, we find ourselves in March 2022 and a war is raging in Europe.  

 Today, the power of images is a decisive factor in the development of wars.  During the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine their power is used by very different actors with various intentions. Spreading disinformation and manipulating visual media for propaganda is one of them. So is the need to inform people outside of Ukraine and call for awareness and empathy. Therefore, it is time to analyze the power of images and discuss the responsibilities that comes with their production, consumption and sharing. 

How do we handle images of war in Social Media, and how much reality can a photograph catch after all? 

Daniela Apaydin (IDM) talks to Daniela Ingruber, war researcher and media theorist at the Austrian Democracy Lab, University of Continuing Education Krems. 

Our guest recommendation: 

The works of the Hungarian-American war photographer Robert Capa, and from the German photojournalist Gerda Taro

Find more here: https://www.magnumphotos.com/photographer/robert-capa/ 

References mentioned in the program: 

One of the first modern war correspondent William Howard Russell

One of the first war photographer Roger Fenton

The Falling Man from Richard Drew, picture of a man falling from the World Trade Center during the 09/11 attacks in New York.

The French sociologist, philosopher and cultural theorist Jean Baudrillard

The song Taro, from English indie-rock band Alt-J

Guest: Dr. Daniela Ingruber is a war researcher and political philosopher, media theorist and a consulter for film productions and film festivals. She currently works at the University for Continuing Education Krems (UWK).

Host: Daniela Apaydin, Research Associate at IDM 

Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM 


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