Visual Culture: Histories of Modern Visuality
In this course, you explore how visual culture has evolved in relation to colonialism, consumerism, technology, and urban life. You examine photography, media, and cityscapes, focusing on how images shape identity, perception, and power in society.
Start
Autumn 2026
Level
Master's
Language
English
Place of study
Lund
Course code
KOVN13
In this course, you gain an in-depth understanding of the development of modern and contemporary visual culture, focusing on how visuality has been shaped by historical processes such as colonialism, urbanisation, technological innovation, and globalisation. The course examines how modern visual experiences, such as photography, advertising, digital media, and urban environments, relate to older forms of visual culture, highlighting both continuity and change.
The course is structured around three themes: colonialism and postcolonialism, consumer culture and technology and the city. Key topics include the global impact of colonial visual regimes, the rise of consumer imagery and media technologies, and the role of visual culture in shaping modern city life. The course also engages with critical theories that help us understand how images influence identity, perception, and power in society today.
Course syllabus
The syllabus contains the formal and legal details of the entire course. It’s a legal document outlining the course structure and requirements, intended mainly for administrative use.
Syllabus (PDF, new tab)Course literature
The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.
Course literature KOVN13 (PDF, New tab)Entry requirements
90 credits from first cycle including Bachelor's essay in one of the subjects history of art and visual studies, film studies, design studies, architecture, or the equivalent
Selection criteria
Seats are allocated according to: ECTS (HPAV): 100 %.
Specific documentsTuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens
Citizens of countries outside:
- The European Union (EU)
- The European Economic Area (EEA) and
- Switzerland
are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each
semester.
Tuition fees, payments and exemptions
Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 33,750
First payment: SEK 33,750
Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.
No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland
There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.