Cultural History Projects

My current work is divided among photographic projects which are themselves works of cultural history (albeit contemporary cultural history), book-length projects in varying stages, "documentary" projects which may include a wide variety of materials and texts, and larger collaborative ventures with other scholars of the cultural landscape.

Atomic Spaces: Living on the Manhattan Project is a recently completed book

Levittown: Images from a Cultural History is a collaborative documentary project; it includes photographs made by residents and visitors since the late '40s, written reminiscences and texts, and essays. Only portions of the project are currently available on the 'net. Anyone who wishes to contribute materials is encouraged to contact me.

Public Arts in Public Spaces: Contests and Spectacles on Block 37 is an extended essay on the public landscapes of urban centers, presented at the American Studies Association National Conference in Washington, DC on November 1, 1997

Outside the Gates: American Landscapes from Eniwetoc to Woodstock is a book-in-progress

Social Work is a documentary photography project done under the auspices of the Focus/Infinity Fund.

Gates of Eden: Americans and the Land is a continuing documentary project begun in 1973.

The Chicago Imagebase Project is a collaboration with other urban and landscape scholars whose interest lies with devising new ways to make information about the Chicago area's built environment available.

for further information, contact Peter B. Hales at pbhales@uic.edu