Prince Vlad, a pseudonym the author of this post uses to protect his identity, shares an account of how he interviewed an El Salvadorian gang member after earning his trust, only to learn soon after that his informant had been murdered. By Prince Vlad In the first two months of this year, 234 people were […]
In issue 47.1, we feature the review essay, “The New Oral History of Architecture” by Kevin Block, exploring the historiography of architectural oral history and reviewing several recent projects and publications. Here, as he embarks on his own oral history project focused on architectural expertise and knowledge, he shares some of what he learned by […]
The OHR archive is replete with examples of how oral history can inform disciplines outside of the field of historical study. In today’s post, educator Patrick Carlton shares how a trove of oral histories conducted with school administrators has impacted graduate education in the field. By Patrick Carlton I believe oral history captures life information, […]
In his recent OHR article, “Doing Oral History with the Israeli Elite and the Question of Methodology in International Relations Research,” available in issue 47.1, Eldad Ben Aharon discusses the challenges and benefits of using oral history when researching the history of International Relations and diplomacy. Why is oral history helpful for studying International Relations, […]
We’ve asked creators of non-print and media projects reviewed in the pages of Oral History Review to answer 5 questions about why we should explore them. In our latest installment of this series, project founders Lynda Crane and Tracy McDonough discuss The Schizophrenia Oral History Project (TSOHP) Read more about it in their 2014 OHR article, “Living […]
Oral history provides the opportunity to explore intersubjectivity and positionality. Here, Daniel Clarkson Fisher shares his work with the Chinese Jamaican Oral History Project centered in Toronto. The moving video excerpts from interviews below demonstrate shared authority in practice. By Daniel Clarkson Fisher During the 1970s, North America became home to thousands of new immigrants […]
All oral history interviews result from the interaction between interviewee and interviewer, and the intersubjectivities within that relationship. Oral historian Liz Strong experienced many variations of this dynamic over the nine months of her pregnancy, which she shares in this post. By Liz Strong On the day that I went into labor, I conducted two […]
In their recent OHR article, “Migration and Inclusive Transnational Heritage: Digital Innovation and the New Roots Latino Oral History Initiative,” Hannah Gill, Jaycie Vos, Laura Villa-Torres, Maria Silvia Ramirez demonstrate how the New Roots Latino Oral History Initiative engages with and documents immigrant populations. Here Gill answers a few of our questions about the project. […]
Oral historians have begun drawing on the history of emotions, analyzing nonverbal communication and sentiment, rather than only the words narrators speak. Here Dalrún Eygerðardóttir, a PhD student at the University of Iceland, shares her interpretation of expressions of sorrow communicated by Icelandic housekeepers in oral history interviews. By Dalrún J. Eygerðardóttir “I can´t explain […]
Oral history has deep roots in activism, with practitioners focused on how the method can build community and lead to social change. Next week’s Oral History Association’s annual meeting centers on the theme of “Pathways in the Field: Considerations for those Working In, On, and Around Oral History,” exploring various modes of working in oral […]
