Oral History Dissertation workshop 18 October 2016 Dan Branch

Introduction ‘All history was at first oral.’ Oral history as the study of memory rather than a substitution when written sources unavailable.

Why oral history? History beyond the archives Non-literate societies Marginalised groups (histories from below) Elites History of the everyday History as the study of memory What’s remembered and forgotten Rumour

Challenges of oral history Intellectual What actually happened? Movement or methodology? Practical The interview… More than words. Resources Time

The interview Before During After Ethics Research Identifying subjects Technology Structure Setting Power After Transcription Storage

Writing oral history Let your sources speak (within limits) What do the sources tell you? Know your sources, written or oral Creative but rigorous methodology

Where next? Department ethics form Oral History Network reading list OHS ‘Getting Started’ OHA ‘Principles and Best Practice’ IHR ‘Making History’ (for historiography)