Trans Asia Photography

• TAP was launched as a journal of studies on photography in a global history perspective in 2010.
• Editors-in-chief in 2025: Deepali Dewan & Thy Phu.
• An online publication of Duke University Press, Durham, NC, USA. 

Trans Asia Photography (TAP) is the first and only open-access international peer-reviewed journal devoted to the interdisciplinary exploration of historic and contemporary photography from Asia and across the Asian diaspora. The journal examines all aspects of photographic history, theory, and practice by centering images in or of Asia, conceived here as a territory, network, and cultural imaginary. 

Bridging photography and area studies, Trans Asia Photography rethinks transnational and transcultural approaches and methodologies, bringing together the perspectives of scholars, critics, and artists across the humanities and social sciences to advance original and innovative research on photography and Asia, and to reflect and encourage quality, depth, and breadth in the field’s development.

Articles are published under a Creative Commons license (BY-NC-ND) and are open immediately upon publication. Authors are not charged any fees for publication and retain copyright and full publishing rights without restrictions in their articles. Readers may use the full text of articles as described in the license. [from the online presentation]

Several publications focusing on Southeast Asia cultures are available. We’re building a list of these contributions, starting with 

• Leslie Woodhouse, ​‘Concubines with Cameras: Royal Siamese Consorts Picturing Femininity and Ethnic Difference in Early 20th Century Siam’, Trans Asia Photography 2 – 2, 2012. 
• Gabrielle Moser, ​‘Photography from the Struggles for Independence: Practices, Circulations and Aesthetics,’ Trans Asia Photography 15 – 2, 2025. 

[list under construction]