MA Directed Reading List, Fall 1999 Oral Historical Methodology

Supervisor: Sean Cadigan Graduate Student: Jon Callum Makkai

Historiography Henige, David. Oral Historiography. London !"#: $%##. Why did oral history fall out of favour in the western historiographic tradition? What accounts for its rediscovery in the mid-20th century? &hompson, 'aul. &he (oi)e o* the 'ast: Oral History. O+*ord !$": Does Thompson feel that oral history has a counter-hegemonic purpose? Why would anyone oppose the use of historical methodology? Is the achievement of oral history the supplanting of other historigraphic traditions? Is oral history subject or method? Hann, ,ussell G. -Oral History.. /n Clio0s Cra*t: 1 'rimer o* Histori)al Methods. 2dited 3y &erry Cro4ley. &oronto !"": 5#%65. ow have !anadian historians reacted to oral historical methodology? methodology challenge the writing of !anadian history? ow might oral historical

Cohen, David 7illiam. &he Com3ing o* History. Chi)ago and London !!5: %#8, 5$% " , # 6%9:. What does !ohen mean by the production of history? "re there any methodological problems that we might associate with such production? If so# are such problems confined to oral history? 1 ,ural Case Study: the 'it*alls ;lythe, ,onald. 1ken*ield: 'ortrait o* an 2nglish (illage. London !6!. &hompson, (oi)e o* the 'ast: 69%!:. What are the wea$nesses of %lythe&s wor$? "re any such wea$nesses intrinsic to oral history# or might they characteri'e other historical sources? Does Thompson feel that there are particular avenues of historical in(uiry that ma$e running the ris$s of such methodological wea$nesses worth writing oral history?

Methodology Henige, Oral Historiography: #8%69 Which of the methodological problems described by will not? Why? enige will apply to your own wor$? Which

Hoope, James. Oral History: 1n /ntrodu)tion *or Students. Chapel Hill !$!6 % ##, 8 %8!. "lthough oope is largely concerned with elite interviewing# his discussion of preparation for the interview contains useful tips that are applicable to most forms on interviewing) *stablish a chec$list of tas$s for preparing# conducting# and following up on interviewing for an oral history project) ow important is ethical review to oral history? Morrison, James. -G4om meets ;ard: Some &houghts on Oral History in <igeria and <ova S)otia.. /n ,eport o* the =ourth 1nnual Meeting o* the 1tlanti) Oral History 1sso)iation Meeting, Memorial >niversity o* <e4*oundland, ... !"#. Compiled 3y Shannon ,yan. St. John0s !"#: 66% $5. Why does +orrison feel that family history and genealogy are important to oral historical methodology? &hompson, (oi)e o* the 'ast : ! % 8$, 69%#:#. ow may historians deal with the manner in which memory is socially constructed? Why is representative sampling important? What $ind of interviewing techni(ues do you feel would wor$ best in a study of the +argaree? What are the common pitfalls of interviewing? ow would you store your data? Mannion, John. 'oint Lan)e in &ransition: &he &rans*ormation o* a <e4*oundland Outport. &oronto: M)Clelland and Ste4art, !$6. Describe the oral historical methodology employed by +annion) !an his approach address the problems of %lythe&s? Does +annion meet the criterion of representativeness set out by Thompson? Modell, Judith, and ;rodsky, Charlee. -2nvisioning Homestead: >sing 'hotographs in /ntervie4ing ?Homestead, 'ennsylvania.. /n /ntera)tive Oral History /ntervie4ing. 2dited 3y 2va M. M)Mahan and @im La)y ,ogers. Hillsdale, <J, !!5: 5 %6 . What are the advantages of using pictures in an interactive interviewing process? "re there any disadvantages? Glu)k, Sherna. -7hat0s So Spe)ial a3out 7omenA 7omen0s Oral History.. /n Oral History: 1n /nterdis)iplinary 1nthology. 2dited 3y David @. Duna4ay and 7illa @. ;aun. <ashville !"5: ## % 8$. "re there subjects which will simply be beyond the ability of some historians to investigate through oral history?

/nterpretation (ansina, Jan. -Oral &radition and Histori)al Methodology.. /n Oral History: 1n /nterdis)iplinary 1nthology. 2dited 3y David @. Duna4ay and 7illa @. ;aun. <ashville !"5: :#%:6. Do the ris$s of error and falsification separate oral evidence from other types of evidence? 1li)e Ho**man, -,elia3ility and (alidity in Oral History.. /n Oral History: 1n /nterdis)iplinary 1nthology. 2dited 3y David @. Duna4ay and 7illa @. ;aun. <ashville !"5: 6$%"6. ow may the use of different types of evidence verify the reliability and validity of oral historical evidence? &hompson, (oi)e o* the 'ast: #:8%#6. What are the three ways of interpreting oral historical evidence? Which might produce the most innovative history? Henige, Oral Historiography: 66% ". ow important is sensitivity to the conte,t of language in the interpretation of oral evidence? ow can the use of written sources help in dealing with such conte,t? ow important are dates and metaphors in the analysis of oral historical data? Dero)he, John 2. -Making History: 1 So)iologi)al Study.. /n ,eport o* the =ourth 1nnual Meeting o* the 1tlanti) Oral History 1sso)iation Meeting, Memorial >niversity o* <e4*oundland, ... !"#. Compiled 3y Shannon ,yan. St. John0s !"#: 68%$8. ow does Deroche practically deal with some of the theoretical issues raised by reading above? enige in the

Grele, ,onald J. -History and the Languages o* History in the Oral History /ntervie4: 7ho 1ns4ers 7hose Buestions and 7hyA. /n /ntera)tive Oral History /ntervie4ing. 2dited 3y 2va M. M)Mahan and @im La)y ,ogers. Hillsdale, <J, !!5: % ". Is it possible to be completely objective in the use of oral historical data? What does -rele mean by suggesting that the historian and subject create a conversational narrative together? =utrell, 1llan and 7illard, Charles 1. -/ntersu3Ce)tivity and /ntervie4ing.. /n /ntera)tive Oral History /ntervie4ing. 2dited 3y 2va M. M)Mahan and @im La)y ,ogers. Hillsdale, <J, !!5: "8% :9. ow do .utrell and Willard ma$e the e,amination of -rele&s problem more systematic? What do the authors mean by message design logics /+D0s1? ow may historians use +D0s to avoid some of the problems of interpreting oral historical data? Chase, Susan 2., and ;ell, Colleen S. -/nterpreting the Comple+ity o* 7omen0s Su3Ce)tivity.. /n /ntera)tive Oral History /ntervie4ing. 2dited 3y 2va M. M)Mahan and @im La)y ,ogers. Hillsdale, <J, !!5: 68%" .

ow may oral historical investigation reinforce social ine(uality? What steps must the historian ta$e to avoid such reinforcement? +ay any historian overcome reinforcing such ine(ualities with any subject? Hansen, 1rthur 1. -1 ,iot o* (oi)es: ,a)ial and 2thni) (aria3les in /ntera)tive Oral History /ntervie4ing.. /n /ntera)tive Oral History /ntervie4ing. 2dited 3y 2va M. M)Mahan and @im La)y ,ogers. Hillsdale, <J, !!5: :$%8!. ow may a priori assumptions about race and ethnicity bias the interpretation of oral historical data?

&4o =ull Studies Glu)k, Sherna ;erger, and 'atai, Daphne. 7omen0s 4ords : the *eminist pra)ti)e o* oral history <e4 Dork !! . 2eaddress the (uestion on the -luc$ reading above) &onkin, 2liEa3eth. <arrating Our 'asts: &he So)ial Constru)tion o* Oral History Cam3ridge !!#. What are the genres and conventions of oral history? ow does Ton$in interpret oral evidence?

<O&2: although 4e 4on0t in)lude the *ollo4ing *or e+amination purposes, you should 3e a4are o* the appli)ations o* oral histori)al methodology to the study o* so)ial, gender and politi)al history in 'aul &hompson0s edited 4ork Our Common History ?London !"#F.