Using oral history in social science research: a workshop for PhD students

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Using oral history in social science research: a workshop for PhD students

By Scottish Graduate School of Social Science

Location

University of Strathclyde

Scottish Oral History Centre Room 624, 6th floor, Curran Bld Glasgow G4 0NS United Kingdom

Description

The Scottish Graduate School of Social Science welcomes postgraduate research students to the following advanced training event:

This advanced full day training workshop aims at developing PhD students understanding of oral history as a qualitative research methodology. It alerts students to the possibilities of using oral history interviewing as a valuable means of understanding the past. We examine the advantages and disadvantages of oral historical practice through critical evaluation of four key aspects: memory; ethics; subjectivity and inter-subjectivity; and the interpretation and analysis of oral interview material. Students should emerge with a deeper sense of the potential of such methods and a more critical awareness of ethical issues in oral interviewing and the theory associated with memory, subjectivity, self and narrative analysis. Whilst of particular interest to economic and social history students, the workshop may also appeal to students of other disciplines where interviewing methodologies are deployed.

This is an advanced level oral history workshop, not introductory practical training. This workshop will NOT deal with the practical aspects of project planning, questionnaires, interview planning, interview practice or conduct, or transcription / summarizing, or the technical aspects of recording, transferring and audio editing. Students may have already undertaken interviews and very useful would be some prior reading on oral history. For preparation, especially recommended are the following texts:

Lynn Abrams, Oral History Theory (London: Routledge, 2010).

Paul Thompson, The Voice of the Past: Oral History (third edition) (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000).


Programme:

9.30 – 10.15 Introduction: What is Oral History? This session examines the emergence of the field of oral history, its early practitioners and some of the contributions it has made to our understanding of the past.

Break

10.30 – 11.45 Understanding Memory In this session we will consider the reliability of memory, what shapes memory and explore the terms ‘popular’ and ‘collective’ memory.

11.45 – 12.15 Ethics This session provides an outline of ethical and legal issues in relation to oral history.

Lunch break (please note: no lunch catering is provided)

1.15 – 2.30 Subjectivity & Inter-subjectivity This session will provide an overview of this key concept in oral history with illustrative examples.

Break

2.45 – 4.00 Evidence and Analysis This session covers the interpretation of oral history interviews. What evidence can be gleaned from interviews? How do you go about analysing an oral history interview? Reference will be made to specific examples.

4.00 – 4.30 Review and discussion


Further information

Attendees from outwith the Central Belt (eg Aberdeen, Inverness, Dundee, islands) may receive financial support for accommodation costs, for up to £60 for one night. If you wish to receive this support, please mention this on your application form.

The organiser of this event is Arthur McIvor and further questions can be directed to him at a.mcivor@strath.ac.uk

Organised by

The Scottish Graduate School of Social Science is the UK's largest facilitator of funding, training and support for doctoral students in social science. By combining the expertise of sixteen universities across Scotland, the school facilitates world-class PhD research. The school is funded jointly by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Scottish Funding Council.

SGSSS is a highly attractive environment for doctoral research. Not only do our partner universities offer an excellent research environment, we also offer comprehensive and world-class research training in a number of discipline-specific and interdisciplinary pathways. In addition, the school manages a programme of advanced training courses and an annual summer school which together offers our students further opportunities to develop their research, knowledge exchange and transferable professional skills.

At the heart of the SGSSS is the Doctoral Training Partnership (formerly the Doctoral Training Centre) in Scotland. The SGSSS was established in 2011 and is the biggest of 14 Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) accredited DTPs in the United Kingdom. The bid for renewed funding has been successful and from 1 October 2017 the SGSSS will be one of the ESRC's 14 Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTP)

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