Caroline Douglas

Caroline Douglas is a Lecturer in Photography at the Royal College of Art, School of Fine Art. Her work bridges historical and contemporary photography practices, focusing on gender, class, and colonial histories within 19th-century Scottish photography.

• 2025: PhD thesis titled Retouching The Archive: Gender and Class in Early Photography in Scotland (Royal College of Art)

Her research explores intersections of art, science, and social justice, with a particular emphasis on protophotography, women's contributions to early photographic techniques, and the legacy of figures like Frederick Douglass and Mary Somerville. Recent publications and exhibitions highlight her expertise in archival retouching and feminist reinterpretations of historical narratives.

Key trends in her work include:

• Revisiting 19th-century photographic chemistry and its gendered dimensions
• Examining colonial ties in Scottish photographic archives
• Reclaiming overlooked women in the history of photography
• Art-science collaborations involving historical processes like calotypes and cyanotypes