This book examines photographic collections as ways of doing and/or inspiring research in the humanities and social sciences.

Interweaving case studies and visual essays, this book:

• demonstrates the potential for photographic collections to launch new sociological, photographic, and creative work by scholars and practitioners;
• critically examines historical, social, and methodological issues revolving around a wide range of photographic collections in and of Asia;
• advances engagement with photographic collections as an innovative visual method in qualitative research.

Photographic Collections as Visual Method explores the ways in which photographic collections exceed their archetypal role as records of the past, to become not only a unit of analysis, but also the starting point for creative and critical work that intersects multiple disciplines. A wealth of data, stories, and inspiration, this book will appeal to scholars, students and practice-based researchers in the areas of visual and creative methods, especially methods for visual sociology and visual anthropology, photographic studies, museum studies, and area studies, with a particular focus on Southeast and East Asia.