HIstorical photographs constitute a rich source of sociological imagination : the case of evolution of male intimacy in photography
Abstract
Sociology has an uneasy relation towards photography. On one hand, analysis of photographic material is wrought with dangers and struggles to uphold the rigorous standards of sociological method.
On the other hand, it constitutes an important connection between the sociological domain and the public discourse - a bridge without which sociology as an institution cannot cope. This article attempts to illustrate how historical photography can be used as a source of sociological knowledge.
The attempt is aided with an argument made by Brett and Kate McKay in their article called Bosom Buddies: A Photo History of Male Affection, in which the authors give an account of how the relationships among men have changed throughout the 19th and the 20th century and how intimacy in men's mutual relationships declined.