The childhood of human rights: The Kodak on the Congo

Abstract

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. Copyright © 2006 SAGE Publications.