Comprehensiveness and Amnesia in “Oral History”

According to the author, it can be claimed in some ways that Iran is the land of cultural "epidemics"! At any time, it is possible to witness that a wave of attention to a cultural field in the country starts at once, and several centers pay attention to a common work widely. The example of writing encyclopedias is a prominent example of this type of cultural epidemic that we witnessed its ...

An overview of the challenges of news interviews and oral history interviews

A Reporter Who Absolutely Ignored Oral History Book

In the late 2010s, I accepted an oral history project at the suggestion of a friend; without knowing the depth of the prerequisites, dos, don'ts and challenges of the oral history interview. I did an hour-long interview a week, and when it was over, I felt that the amount of energy spent was more than news interviews and it didn't go as smoothly as I thought.

A Critique on Oral history of War Commanders

“Answering Historical Questions and Ambiguities Instead of Individual-Organizational Identification”

“Oral history of Commanders” is reviewed with the assumption that in the field of war historiography, applying this method is narrated in an advancing “new” way, with the aim of war historiography, emphasizing role of commanders in creation of its situations and details.

Three Achievements of Cultural History for War Researchers

Perhaps the claim that the most important influence of cultural history on war studies was the deconstruction of the concept of "history" and the concept of "war" is not an exaggerated one. Cultural history actually deconstructed the concept of war and the history of war. Cultural history tells us not to see the war exclusively in the contexts, manifestations of the people who were only on the battlefield, but also see the contexts adjacent to it.

ORAL HISTORY WORKS AND UPCOMING PROBLEMS (1)

In order to understand more about the problems of producing books on the subject of oral history or memoirs, the oral history website has conducted short interviews with some experts and practitioners, which will be presented to the readers in short notes and in several parts. Haste: Haste is a big problem in research works, but it is more visible in oral history. This problem is more related to the clients.

Oral History; Science or Method

Now the question is whether oral history, which has a deep relationship with history, is a science or a research method under the science of history! To get the answer, it is better to take a look at the background of oral history. Oral history is one of the new research achievements in history, which describes and identifies past events based on the views, hearings and actions of witnesses and related people.

Consequences of misusing the title of oral history

Using the title of oral history for any memoir text or autobiographical book is one of the harms that can be seen in the works published by many small and large cultural publishers and organizations in recent years. These centers, which sometimes have government budgets, ignore the nuances and details of such projects, and generously use the title of oral history for any memoir or biography, and consider themselves to have a high record and a high possibility of activity in this field.

Which Option is Preferable?

Text, With or Without Questions

Oral history, as it has been stated many times, is the result of a problem-oriented and purposeful conversation between two people, one of whom is the questioner and the other the answerer. Sometimes the question is raised that should the text resulting from the oral history interview be compiled and published in the ultimate fidelity to the original structure or it is possible to make some changes such as deleting questions?

Spring

Another Page and Mood of Life

Spring, calmly and soulfully, arrived on the bed of Nowruz (New Year) and with the month of Ramadan. In fact, the earth and the sky have sung a happy song with a common voice; they have opened a new book and brought a new look. Its new spring in that try to be cheerful! People of the word have defined cheerfulness as joy, happiness, sincerity, purity of intention. It is a manifestation of consent, ...

Editorial

Oral History of State: Importance and Function

In the politics, state is considered as the main and concentrated apparatus of power, and most of authors use concepts of “state” and “government” in the same meaning. Regardless of various and fashionable definitions on this phenomenon, which is sometimes called bureaucracy, having a short review of the history shows that Iranian society identified the concept of state in the modern form from the middle of Qajar Period, and experienced the modern state through the Constitutional movement.
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Is oral history the words of people who have not been seen?

Some are of the view that oral history is useful because it is the words of people who have not been seen. It is meant by people who have not been seen, those who have not had any title or position. If we look at oral history from this point of view, it will be objected why the oral memories of famous people such as revolutionary leaders or war commanders are compiled.

Daily Notes of a Mother

Memories of Ashraf-al Sadat Sistani
They bring Javad's body in front of the house. His mother comes forward and says to lay him down and recite Ziarat Warith. His uncle recites Ziarat and then tells take him to the mosque which is in the middle of the street and pray the funeral prayer (Ṣalāt al-Janāzah) so that those who do not know what the funeral prayer is to learn it.

A Critique on Oral history of War Commanders

“Answering Historical Questions and Ambiguities Instead of Individual-Organizational Identification”
“Oral history of Commanders” is reviewed with the assumption that in the field of war historiography, applying this method is narrated in an advancing “new” way, with the aim of war historiography, emphasizing role of commanders in creation of its situations and details.
A cut from memoirs of Jalil Taeffi

Escaping with camera

We were in the garden of one of my friends in "Siss" on 26th of Dey 1357 (January 16, 1979). We had gone for fun. It was there that we heard the news of Shah's escape from the local people. They said that the radio had announced. As soon as I heard this news, I took a donkey and went on its back.