Speaking to the Past: Oral History in Methodology and Practice

Catalog description

This course begins with the fundamental question: What is oral history? Some argue it is spoken content. Others say it is the recording or transcript of the documentary record. Students will study successful oral history projects of the past ranging from slave narratives to White House recordings. Oral history methodology will explore questions of memory and bias, legal and ethical issues, and how best to document and preserve people's stories. Students will be required to lead one class discussion based on the required readings. Assessment will also include a short writing project related to an existing oral history collection, participation in weekly discussions, and graded components leading to the completion of the final oral history project. Students will receive guidance in selecting a final individual or group project, determining the best practices in conducting their oral histories, and choosing a format for dissemination. While the ultimate goal is to deposit the recording and transcription in an archive, students also will consider whether to present their research as a paper or digital presentation, such as a podcast or documentary essay. In either case, students will produce a final product that they can promote as a digital humanities project or revise for formal presentations and publication.