Dissertation October 21 2014 Anna Hájková Outline Why oral history Ethics The interview How to use your material How to write with oral testimony Berthold Brecht Questions From a Worker ID: 223641
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Slide1
Oral History
Dissertation, October 21, 2014
Anna HájkováSlide2
Outline
Why oral history?
Ethics
The interview
How to use your material?
How to write with oral testimony?Slide3
Berthold Brecht,
Questions From a Worker
W
ho
Reads
Who built Thebes of the seven gates? In the books you will find the name of kings. Did the kings haul up the lumps of rock? And Babylon, many times demolished. Who raised it up so many times? In what houses Of gold-glittering Lima did the builders live? Where, the evening that the Wall of China was finished Did the masons go? Great Rome Is full of triumphal arches. Who erected them? Over whom Did the Caesars triumph? Had Byzantium, much praised in song, Only palaces for its inhabitants? Even in fabled Atlantis The night the ocean engulfed it The drowning still bawled for their slaves.The young Alexander conquered India. Was he alone? Caesar beat the Gauls. Did he not have even a cook with him? Philip of Spain wept when his armada Went down. Was he the only one to weep? Frederick the Second won the Seven Years' War. Who Else won it?Every page a victory. Who cooked the feast for the victors? Every ten years a great man. Who paid the bill?So many reports. So many questions.
Transl. by Michael HamburgerSlide4
The struggle for the acceptance of OH
A legitimate source?
“barefoot historians” (Hans-Ulrich
Wehler
)“history from below,” social and gender history, and history workshops
Legitimization: conferences, journals, successful books, establishment of new line of inquiryOral History Review: http://ohr.oxfordjournals.org/Slide5
Ethics
When undergraduate research involves an element of oral history, use of questionnaires, or other research involving live participants, the supervisor must ensure that the student completes an ethical review form before conducting the research.
In cases involving the NHS or acute ethical issues, the supervisor and Director of Undergraduate Studies will consult with the Arts and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee and may need to seek approval from this Committee or from the NHS.
In all other cases (the overwhelming majority), we accept that the normal process of supervision is sufficient to serve the purposes of ethical review. In these cases, there is no need for completion of any form.
In the very small minority of cases where a form does need to be completed, it must be signed by the student, the supervisor (who will assist in completion of the form), and the Director of Undergraduate Studies
.FORMS FROM SUPERVISOR!Slide6
The interview
Production, conservation & reproduction of any historical source shapes how we understand that source
Interview & archives no different
Power
Relationship between interviewer & intervieweePractical matters:
making contact, signing forms, preparatory meeting, time, place, technology, minutes, transcription, authorization…Over-preparation: go!Slide7
After the interview &
varia
Critical reading:
Against
romantization
: necessary critical reading and contrasting other sourcesImpact of books, films, narratives of others, social and cultural memoryDanger of multiple interviews: cementingOral history as a paper archive: other people’s OHNarratives a valid line of inquiry of their own: history of mentalities, subjectivity, genre, history of emotionsWhat belongs to the canon? watch out for missing voices, people outside of the normative community (sex workers, “asocials,” mentally ill, those who married outside…)Social context shapes narratives (eg Sinti and Roma in the Holocaust)Slide8
Erna
Frischmann
, 1945
“The thing I feared came, quite early on. On September 1, 1942 my parents received summons for the transport. This may have been the blackest day of my life. I remember it like today,
ot
was Saturday morning, dad turned up in my office, all pale, and said. ‘we are in it.’ In a bit my mum came, with the same news. I cannot describe what followed. I was trying to find a reason to petition my parents from the transport, but it did not work out, there were then so few Czech Jews in Terezín and I did not have a genuine reason for reclamation. I knew the only wish of my parents was that I volunteer to go with them. On the other hand, all my friends were telling me to stay. […] I know that many people judged me for going without deliberation. So on the September 1, 1942 on the express wish of my parents I left Terezín.”Slide9
Erna
Frischer-Meissner
, 1980s, BL, 28_30
http://sounds.bl.uk/Oral-history/Jewish-Holocaust-survivors/021M-C0410X0055XX-0200V0Slide10
Oral History Network
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/ias/current/networks/
oralhistory
50 Years Warwick Anniversary
Discussion Forum: 'Oral History: the Basics'
with Dr Angela Davis and Grace Huxford. Wednesday 3rd December 2014, 2-4pm, H0.56.