Photographic Engagements, Belonging and Affective Encounters in Contemporary Photography

The purpose of this thesis is two-fold. Firstly, it is to investigate the notion of belonging in contemporary photography in Turkey and Sweden. Secondly, it aims to contribute to a theoretical approach to contemporary photography that includes its affective, situated and embodied aspects. Engaging is used throughout the thesis as a unifying notion to bring together a range of theoretical perspectives that share a non-representational take on photography. From this theoretical perspective, a number of photographic projects are explored that in different ways deal with the notion of belonging.

In order to bring close attention to certain photographic works and how they function within particular situated space, the focus is on projects from the areas in and around Sweden and Turkey, but the discussion also reflects on the wider question of European experiences of belonging. I argue that affective and embodied perspectives are significant and often overlooked both in terms of contemporary photography and theoretical discussions around belonging. The explorations reveal the extent to which the phenomena of belonging is found not in the abstract space of concepts and ideas, but in the situated spaces in which they are acted out and encountered.