Project

Nomadic Cinema: A Cultural Geography of the Expedition Film

Program

ACLS Project Development Grants

Department

Communication Studies

Abstract

“Nomadic Cinema” examines films shot in Borneo, Central Asia, and the American Southwest in the golden age of expedition filmmaking during the interwar period. Grounded in rigorous archival research, the book draws upon several interdisciplinary fields as it analyzes the habits of seeing and writing among leaders of both famous and obscure twentieth-century expeditions, while tracing the rich lineage of exploration image-making to the medieval period. This grant will support visits to archives in Norway, Scotland, Washington, DC, and Los Angeles.