Contact Zones: Photography, Migration, and Cultural Encounters in the U.S.

Photography has played a significant role in migrant communities in the United States since the mid-nineteenth century, mediating their experiences of cultural dislocation and the forging of new identities. This volume explores the role of photography in shaping migrant experiences and how migrant experiences have re-configured culturally differentiated practices of photography.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 360 pages
Publication date: 17 June 2021
Publisher: Leuven University Press

Since the mid-nineteenth century, photography has held a pivotal role in cultural encounters within and between migrant communities. Migrant histories have been intricately woven through the lens of the photographic image, and the very practices of photography have undergone a profound transformation as migrant communities harness the power of photography to navigate the complexities of cultural displacement and the process of forging new identities. In this comprehensive volume, we delve into the realm of photographic images and the cultural practices that surround them, recognizing them as dynamic contact zones through which cultural exchange and transformation occur. By focusing on photography's role in shaping migrant experiences of cultural transformation, we explore how these experiences in turn reshape and redefine culturally distinct practices of photography. Through a series of case studies on migration from Europe, Central America, and North America, we position photography as an integral part of the cultural histories of migration and transformation in the United States. Contributors from various academic institutions, including Western University, University of Westminster, Institute of Art, Design & Technology, Dun Laoghaire, University of Texas, Austin, National Museum of Ireland, San Diego State University, University of Fraser Valley, University of Western Ontario, University of Zagreb, Institute of Art History, and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munich, bring their expertise and insights to this volume. Their contributions shed light on the multifaceted ways in which photography has captured, documented, and interpreted the experiences of migrants, contributing to a deeper understanding of the complex tapestry of migrant communities in the United States. This free ebook is available at OAPEN Library, JSTOR, and Project Muse, making it accessible to a wide audience interested in exploring the role of photography in shaping cultural encounters and histories.

Weight: 776g
Dimension: 156 x 233 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789462702523