Like any other social or historical phenomenon, oral history is a product of shifting paradigms and unbending structures as well as individual initiative and opportunism. Other designs commonly used in quantitative research the crossover comparative experimental design the replicated crosssectional design trend studies cohort studies panel studies blind studies doubleblind studies study designs in qualitative research case study oral history focus groupsgroup interviews participant observation holistic research. It is the framework through which an account of the past is constructed. John laird, transcript of an oral history conducted 2001, in out in the redwoods. Oral history can give a voice to individuals and groups who are sometimes marginalized in conventional histories the working classes, women and ethnic minorities, for instance. In the philosophy of history, the question of the nature, and the possibility, of a sound historical method is raised within the subfield. He was named the distinguished africanist of 1986 and awarded the herskovits prize for kingdoms of the savanna in 1967, garnering the two top honors given by the african studies association. Recognizing that clear and concise guide can be useful to all practitioners of oral history, the oral history association has since 1968 published a series of statements aimed at outlining a set of principles and obligations for all those who use this methodology. The idea of creating history from below which can be traced to the annales school meant thinking in part about who was hidden from history. Because it is a primary source, an oral history is not intended to present a final, verified, or. An oral history interview involves complex social interactions. Ranjan r international conference on history, literature and management ichlm2012 oct.
It can provide new information, alternative explanations and different insights which are potentially of enormous value. Its primary mission is to explore the nature and significance of oral history and advance understanding of the field among scholars, educators, practitioners, and the general public. It is of course impossible, with the limited amount of information so far at our disposal, to deal exhaustively in this one book with a subject so vast and so unexplored, and all i can attempt to do is to point out the problems. In addition to the workshops that we offer to community groups, we are happy to provide this manual as a resource and guide to oral history interviewing. An oral history interview is not about the interviewer. Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and. Historical method comprises the techniques and guidelines by which historians use primary sources and other evidence to research and then to write histories in the form of accounts of the past. Historical method historical method comprises the techniques and guidelines by which historians use primary sources and other evidence to research and then to write histories in the form of accounts of the past.
Oral history involves interviewing a person or group to get an inside perspective into what it was like to live in a particular time or is like to live as the member of a particular group within a society. Oral history, as a clear and transparent tool, needs to be applied with guidelines for qualitative researchers regarding data analysis limitations from oral evidence and facetoface contact. Oral historys distinctive features are its interdisciplinary roots in sociology and history, and its valuing of orality. Research training institute of historical research. You are there to record someone elses experiences, not to talk about yourself. Grounded theory approaches are useful for building theory out of your data.
Studying the stories of individuals and situations in the past allows a student of history to test his or her own moral sense, to hone it against some of the real complexities individuals have faced in difficult settings. Oral history typically involves interviews with individuals who either tell their life stories or focus on a certain aspect of their history. Historydriven topics are highly congruent with oral history. The principles and best practices for oral history update and replace the oral history evaluation guidelines adopted in 1989, revised in 2000. But interviewing is also a skill which can be learned. By oral traditions, i mean all oral testimonies concerning the past which are transmitted from one person to another.
As indicated above, in general, a life history interview should proceed chronologically. Natasha constant and liz roberts have observed that narrative is rarely adopted as a form of. Limit your own remarks to some small talk to make the narrator. The case study starts with a historical outline of the advent of oral history research in western society, its strengths and its weaknesses, before it moves to a practical exploration of oral history methodology. Jan vansina is professor emeritus of history and anthropology at the university of wisconsinmadison.
So, for example, early issues of oral history carried articles. Oral history is the method of recording, preserving and interpreting historical information obtained from firsthand from people, from their past expe riences and memories. The journals primary mission is to explore the nature and significance of oral history and advance understanding of the field among scholars, educators, practitioners, and the. Gathered here are parts i and ii of the handbook of oral history, which set the benchmark for knowledge of the field. Is the achievement of oral history the supplanting of other historigraphic traditions. Historical research has limitations in applying proper and creditworthy chronology to clarify the data. Francisc simon rated it really liked it jan 08, oral tradition as history. As a door into the world of oral history, these pages give basic suggestions for collecting and preserving the valuable oral treasures around you, to enrich you and future generations. A study in historical methodology jan vansina download bok. Oral history is one of the oldest, best known, and most often used methods in qualitative research. In this methodology, the application of oral history is one of the ways in which answers to questions addressed by the research theme are elicited. Respect for the sanctity and complexity of human lives, intelligence, empathy, flexibility all these personal qualities influence the interview situation.
Jun 23, 2019 tradition as information remembered pp. Perhaps the most important difference between oral history and traditional history is the personal nature of the former. Generally, oral history researchers in the social sciences and humanities apply a grounded theory approach, or some version of it, to their data analysis. Vansina is the author of more than twenty books, including living with africa and paths in the rainforests. Russell, director santa barbara, california 931069010 805 8938215 oral history methodology, the art of interviewing oral history is as old as antiquity. Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related subjects haradhan kumar mohajan.
Foley examines the roots of the theory in 19thcentury philology and anthropology, documents the contributions of milman parry and albert lord, measures the effects of lords comparative extensions through the impact of the singer of tales, and considers important other contributions. Oral history is a field of study and a method of gathering and preserving the voices and memories of people. Our theory is that oral history can be used to preserve communities and reconnect people with their heritage. Vansina obtained his doctorate in history from the catholic university of leuven in belgiumborn and educated, jan vansina vnasina known internationally for his many contributions to social anthropology and to african. Division jjd to teach oral history to teens who are considered at risk. Its primary mission is to explore the nature and significance of oral history and advance understanding of the field among scholars, educators, practitioners, and.
Given that oral history is a technique and a way of constructing histories the course tries to offer an overview of different ways of how to construct the information and how to analyze it in a wider methodological context. Oral history is a field of study concerned with obtaining, interpreting, and preserving historical information from verbal accounts. Interviewing a group of people can create a picture of that experience, and a. Eyewitnesses, or at least contemporaries to an event or period of time, can provide historians with important primary source materials, often from several points of view. For a more complete list, please to go to the oral history bibliography or see other resources on the web in our links section. Botting 2000 used oral history as a way to understand the experiences.
Does thompson feel that oral history has a counterhegemonic purpose. The study of green grass is popular among agrostologists. Each year we run an extensive programme of training in historical research skills for professional historians, independent researchers, and early career scholars. Methodology of history 8 history contributes to moral understanding history also provides a terrain for moral contemplation. Oral tradition as history jan vansina snippet view i was a bit surprised by the methodological emphasis of this book, its focus is clearly on how historians should make use of. While you may be asked to write on a series of potential topics, there are similarities in all of the possible subjects. A grounded theory approach is an open approach to data analysis where codes are generated directly out of the data. These interviews are conducted with people who participated in or observed past events and whose memories and perceptions of these are to be. The question of the nature, and even the possibility, of a sound historical method is raised in the philosophy of history as a.
Oral history is a method of conducting historical research through recorded interviews between a narrator with personal experience of historically significant events and a wellinformed interviewer, with the goal of adding to the historical record. Primary sources and other evidence including those from archaeology are used. It explains how to set up an oral history project, how to conduct interviews and what legal concerns to keep in mind. Primary sources and other evidence including those from archaeology are used in the philosophy of history, the question of the nature, and the possibility, of a sound historical method is raised within the subfield of epistemology. Former fbi negotiator chris voss at the australia real estate conference duration. Historical methodology is the process by which historians gather evidence and formulate ideas about the past. Oral tradition as history jan vansina snippet view i was a bit surprised by the methodological emphasis of this book, its focus is clearly on how historians should make use of oral traditions. History driven topics are highly congruent with oral history. Oral historians ask people to talk about their overall life experiences or to discuss specific experiences and events in a narrative form, recording this. It begins with an audio or video recording of a first person account. Introduction memory is still recognized as the raw material of history and the living source from which historians can draw. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender history at uc santa cruz, 1965 2003, regional history project, uc santa cruz library.
The focus should be on the interviewee and they should do most of the talking, with occasional questions from you to guide them in directions you think are the most productive. This manual includes tips on designing an oral history project. These characteristics permeate the four forms which abrams 2010 argues oral history takes. Introduction memory is still recognized as the raw material of history. We received a grant from jjd to start the pilot project, preserving community, teaching high school students oral history. Interviewing a group of people can create a picture of that experience, and a large project of this kind such as uncs southern oral. Oral history office attachment iii oral history interview tips 1. Research training we deliver highquality training programmes to a wide community of historians and professionals, and provide unique distance learning opportunities. Historical method is the collection of techniques and guidelines that historians use to research and write histories of the past. About oral history oral history research and resources. Introduction timescapes methods guides series guide no. Herodotus, if you recall, set down many of his stories from accounts he heard an his travels. The eminent contributors discuss the history and methodologies of a field that once was the domain of history scholars who were responding to trends within the academy, but which has increasingly become democratized and widely used outside the realm of historical research.
The question of the nature, and even the possibility, of a sound historical method is raised in the philosophy of history as a question of epistemology. The whole point of the interview is to make sure the narrator tells his or her own story. The theory of oral composition presents a history of the field of oral formulaic theory. Oral history refers both to a method of recording and preserving oral testimony and to the product of that process. Methods for oral history brian calliou methodology for an oral history project by brian calliou editors note. Why would anyone oppose the use of historical methodology. Principles and best practices oral history association. Oral history helps the people in the streets also contribute to historiography of a country. Footnote citation for one interview in a multivolume oral history. Designing an oral history project phmc oral history. Brian calliou is a member of the sucker creek first nation in north central alberta, canada, and works in leadership and management for canadas indigenous aboriginal population. Apr 28, 2014 in this methodology, the application of oral history is one of the ways in which answers to questions addressed by the research theme are elicited.
For example, if you are interested in studying a historical event or a historical time period and how a certain population experienced that event or lived in that period, oral history may be the best method. In this methodology, the application of oral history is one of the ways in which answers to. Also, the oral history association has set the standard for oral history, with its evaluation guidelines. Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews. Oral history is so flexible that people of all ages can adapt the techniques of asking and listening to create and learn about history and historical narratives.
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