Public and Oral History

Catalog description

This course allows graduate students to explore elements of the theory and practice of public history. Students will be exposed to practical aspects of public historical work through common readings, class visitors, and an exhibition review assignment. In this assignment, students will be asked to visit a regional historic site, museum, and/or memorial and critically examine the site’s representation of the past. This course will also focus on oral history interviewing as a public history methodology both for gaining information about the past and sharing it with the public. Through readings and fieldwork, the course will provide students with a foundation in the practical skills relating to oral history, including project design and preparation, equipment selection, interviewing techniques, transcription, and editing. Each student will be responsible for conducting and fully transcribing one substantial oral history interview.