This review describes the current state-of-the-art of photorefractive polymers for holography. The analysis of this rich field begins with a brief historical perspective followed by descriptions of prevailing physical models relating basic parameters of the polymer constituents to the bulk response of the final device. Methods for probing these responses and the underlying phenomena are discussed followed by an overview of the recent holographic applications of photorefractive polymers. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.