Since 2012, the Photographic History Research (PHRC) has been committed to international and interdisciplinary research on photography and its theories and practices from the nineteenth century to the present day. Research staff at PHRC explore the multiple strands of photography’s history as an interconnected set of social and cultural processes, and as a visual economy which embraces:
- The photographic industry
- Networks of photographic knowledge
- Science and technology
- Art and heritage
- Evidential and informational values
- Institutional practices
PHRC is especially focused on extending both the theoretical and historiographical base of photographic history and access to its primary sources. It forms a centre for international scholarship, drawing in scholars with interests in a wide range of different but interrelated fields, including history of science, geography, anthropology, art history, cultural studies, science and technology studies, museology, material culture studies, digital media and three-dimensional imaging. It also provides an important base for the development of digital technologies for resource preservation, publication, discovery and access.
PHRC supervises doctoral studies in the social, cultural and technological histories of photography. Supervision is available from PHRC’s internationally recognised team of research staff.
We are currently interested in supervising doctoral students working on:
- Photography in cultural/digital heritage
- Family photography
- Photography in Jewish cultures
- Socio-political photographic cultures of Eastern Europe and the Middle East
- Photography and the emotions
- Scientific, commercial and technological practices of photography
- Social, cultural and institutional practices of/in photographic archives
- Contemporary Chinese visual culture and photographic practices
- Conflict photography