ABOUT THIS EPISODE
On this episode of The Elevator Podcast, Dr. Mark Sellick unpacks politics not as a place, but as a process, driven by people, narratives, and power. Through that lens, photography emerges as far more than documentation; it becomes a political instrument.
We explore how images construct and reinforce hierarchies, who gets included or excluded from the political “inside,” and how dominant narratives are shaped and maintained. Dr. Sellick introduces the idea of hegemony as the stewardship of powerful stories, and photography as one of its most effective tools.
From subtle shifts in a candidate’s appearance influencing voter perception, to the stark contrast between those who heard versus watched the Nixon–Kennedy debate, this conversation reveals how visual media shapes political judgment. We also reflect on iconic imagery like the “napalm girl” and its role in shifting public opinion during the Vietnam War, as well as how modern governments attempt to control visual narratives through embedded journalism.
The discussion reaches back to Frederick Douglass, who understood early on that images could humanize and persuade, and forward to today’s challenges, where AI blurs the line between truth and fabrication. In a world where objectivity in politics is increasingly questioned, one thing remains clear: images don’t just show reality, they help create it.
