Directed Studies in Oral History

Oral history is a field of study and a method of gathering, preserving and interpreting the voices and memories of people and communities as participants in past events. It is a way to capture lived experience—memory as living history. Oral history is both the oldest type of historical inquiry, predating the written word, and one of the most modern, initiated with tape recorders in the 1940’s and now using 21st-century digital technologies. Over the past eighty years, oral history has transformed the practice of contemporary history in many countries. Historians who do this type of research attempt to understand the details and personal perspectives of history from participants.

In this class, students will examine the possibilities of using oral history as a way of understanding the past, develop an awareness of the ethical and practical issues involved in recording oral history, and develop skills required to research, design, manage, and undertake oral history interviews either in person or remotely. They will gain an awareness of recording technologies and transcription and learn how to plan and carry out a successful oral history project. Fieldwork, which may be conducted remotely, allows students to engage reflectively with the practice of oral history and interviewing. Presentations of work allow students to pose and field questions about their own oral history research findings.

REQUIREMENTS: 

• Fluency in spoken and written English (must be able to produce a 500-word essay and read academic texts)

• Fluency in Korean a plus but not required

• Digital camera/audio recorder (smartphone)