From the series ISIS' Yazidi Child Soldiers © Newsha Tavakolian / Magnum Photos
Women peace campaigners at the Second International Congress of Women in Zürich 1919 © Peace Museum Bradford
Much of my work over the last two decades has involved the relationship of photography to war. But its possibilities for peace are equally important.
I've recently co-edited a book with colleagues Dr Tom Allbeson (Cardiff University) and Prof. Jolyon Mitchell (Durham University) that explores this very topic. The book brings together voices and viewpoints from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. These include international scholars such as Heidi Fehrenbach and Frank Möller, as well as photographers including Jacques Nkinginzabo (Kigali Center for Photography, Rwanda); Newsha Tavakolian (Magnum Photos); and Martina Bacigalupo (Agence Vu).
Together, we explore questions such as: how can the media convey narratives of peace and not just stories of war? How might photography be used in campaigns? Can photography play a part, not just in documenting what happens when conflict ends, but in promoting justice and helping societies heal?
As well as interviewing contemporary Iranian photographer Newsha Tavakolian, I've written about the photography of women pacifists in the First World War, through the work of the Women's International League of Peace and Freedom. This visionary organisation (which thrives today) brought courageous women together to campaign for change at a time when women still did not have the right to vote.
In today's global climate of suspicion, terrorism, and rising nationalism, it is more important than ever to consider how people might be inspired to oppose armed conflict and rebuild societies.
Picturing Peace is co-edited by Tom Allbeson, Pippa Oldfield and Jolyon Mitchell and is available for pre-order from Bloomsbury.