This past week, I joined an online symposium called “Seeking Justice: Social Activism through Journalism and Documentary Practice” put on by the Centre for Documentary Practice.
Photo by Terry Wha
From their impressive list of photojournalists (Paul Fusco, Megan Lewis, Jack Picone, Masaru Goto, Gerhard Joren, Ed Kashi, Gary Knight, Marcus Bleasdale, Adam Ferguson, and many more), one particular name in the mix drew me to the event.
His unprecedented access to and coverage of the oil business and its social repercussions in the Niger delta has always fascinated me; a volatile area of Nigeria which even her citizens understandably avoid. His book, 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta, is filled with powerful and evocative photographs that chronicle the country’s violent love-hate relationship with the oil industry.
Here on Matador, we’ve covered the struggles and issues surrounding big oil in articles like The Trouble with Black Gold: 7 Sins of Oil Production and Big Week Ahead for Big Oil, where we followed the proceedings of the Wiwa vs. Shell case, and spotlighted advertisements against Chevron’s environmental impact.
While many aspiring photojournalists may never reach those difficult regions Ed Kashi has been able to navigate, pick up one of his books below to travel along and delve into some of the world’s most challenging stories to tell.
Lola (Akinmade) Åkerström
Lola (Akinmade) Åkerström is a MatadorU faculty member and Network contributor. Her work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Vogue, BBC, Fodors.com, and many more. Follow her photoblog at Sweden.se.
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Christine
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