GROUNDSWELL: ORAL HISTORY FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
6 March 2013
Sarah K Loose, coordinator of the Rural Organizing Project, Oregon which was highlighted in the previous issue of the journal, reports on an oral history event she organised in New York in September.
‘In our struggles for justice our stories and our histories are sources of power and strength. They inspire and motivate in moments of defeat or uncertainty and build empathy across lines of difference. They show a way forward, highlighting tactics and strategies that result in lasting change. Sharing our stories can empower, awaken, and transform.
‘Since the 1970s, oral history has been recognized as an invaluable method for preserving the largely undocumented stories of social movements and their actors. Today, hundreds of archives and interview projects document the history and voices of marginalised communities and of feminist, queer, environmental and civil rights activists.
‘Less explored, however, is the powerful role that oral history can play in not only documenting radical social change, but actively contributing to it. The Groundswell: Oral History for Social Change retreat on 15-16 September 2011 in New York brought together a group of fifteen oral historians, cultural workers and community organisers who are experimenting with precisely that: the use of oral history as a method for building movements and effecting transformative change. Organised with a community building focus and popular education approach, the retreat created space to share our own stories and explore the ethical and practical questions we face in our practice. Issues of accountability, ownership, and collaboration factored prominently in the discussions.
‘There are plans for a series of activities and gatherings to continue the dialogue and expand the Groundswell network.
• To learn more, visit:www.oralhistoryforsocialchange.org or e-mail: sarahloose@gmail.com
Participants at the Groundswell event in September 2011.
Participants Daniel Kerr and Gabriel Solis in discussion during the Groundswell event.
Source: ORAL HISTORY, Spring 2012, p. 30
Number of Visits: 4523
Share
The latest
- Jasem Ghazbanpour's narration of the first day of the war in Khorramshahr
- Memoirs of Ali Fadaei
- The Relationship Between Oral History and Biography
- 100 Questions/48
- The Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War - 48
- Seventh Theory: The evolutionary duality of document and narrative
- Memories of Davoud Molaei
- Preparing a report for Khorasan Radio and Television
Most visited
- Preparing a report for Khorasan Radio and Television
- The Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War - 47
- 100 Questions/47
- The Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War - 48
- Memories of Davoud Molaei
- Seventh Theory: The evolutionary duality of document and narrative
- 100 Questions/48
- The Relationship Between Oral History and Biography
100 Questions / 43
How can narrators and interviewers reach a common understanding?We asked several researchers and activists in the field of oral history to express their views on oral history questions. The names of each participant are listed at the beginning of their answers, and the text of all answers will be published on this portal by the end of the week.
Documentary Pathology of the US Embassy Documents
The Necessity of Scientific Rereading and Content Analysis of DocumentsMore than four decades have passed since the publication of the first collections of documents from the US Embassy in Tehran. However, despite the relatively easy access to this treasure trove of documents, systematic research exploitation of it has not been adequate. We still do not have a “comprehensive picture” of the content of these 11,000 documents.
100 Questions / 42
What is the importance of the narrator and interviewers shared understanding of the past in oral history?We asked several researchers and activists in the field of oral history to express their views on oral history questions. The names of each participant are listed at the beginning of their answers, and the text of all the answers will be published on this portal by the end of the week.
Validation: Challenges and Necessities
Where does truth stand in oral history? How can the correctness of a narrative be recognized? Does fact-checking matter? If there is exaggeration in the reporting of some accounts, how can it be detected? Is it possible to record an event accurately through the recording of a narrative? Readers and users of oral history works are often faced with these questions, and sometimes encounter doubts about some oral history works.
