Oral history for people or people for oral history

Use of oral history in the recent decade has been institutionalized as a powerful tool in collecting, organizing and archiving the information data in different areas in Iran and today, the oral historians are not following to prove the significance of the efficiency of oral history and it seems that in view of the oral history capacities in the community, it is now time to deal with new working subjects and grounds. One of the most pivotal questions in this regard is the status of the people in Iranian oral history.

A review on the oral history of “the Center for the Propagation of Islamic Truth”:

After Åœahrivar 1320 (Sep. 1941), Iran was turned to a rivalry field in the course of ideological thoughts and beliefs through creating a liberty political space. Through conflicting the tradition and the modernity, there was emerged a newborn event in which was constancy by following the Shia. Although, it was gotten its construction by tradition; on other hand, it was shaped by a modern framework to reply the daily issues.

Compilation in Oral History of Islamic Revolution

For documenting their history, all the revolutions need to use various research and information tools in order to create strong intellectual bases for various social strata especially the second and third post-revolution generations. Collection, organization and information about Islamic revolution has been a principle to which have been paid attention since the recent decades, and some centers have resorted to compile the history of the revolution and publish books through conducting interviews.

Robert V. Keeley, outspoken ambassador, dies at 85

Robert V. Keeley, an American diplomat who held three ambassadorships during a career spent mainly at hardship posts or amid crises, and who during the Southeast Asian conflict helped close the U.S. embassy in Cambodia and carry out the U. S. flag, died Jan. 9 at an assisted-living center in Washington. He was 85.

Red and White Keffiyehs

I was raised in a religious, pro-Mosaddegh family in Shiraz and there were always hung pictures of Imam Khomeini and Dr. Mohammad Mosaddegh on the walls of my father's room. I was just 12 during June 5 1963 uprisings and joined the protestors who fired bars at that time. I was not a frequent mosque-goer but was introduced to certain politico-religious gatherings run by Ja’far Abbas Zadegan and the late Rajab’ali Taheri.

Takhti Viewed by Commonalities

The following are views of some Tehranians about world champion Gholamreza Takhti, after 47 years of his death. It was a cold day of January 7, 1968, when the news spread in the city. It spread by word of mouth like rumors but it was not a rumor this time. Takhti was found dead in Atlantic Hotel of Tehran.

Modernism vs. Traditionalism

In the past it was hardly the case for oral rituals and traditions to change. In effect, traditions are partly embedded in the history of a region or ethnic group and tell a lot about their cultural identity and world view. Cultural beliefs and commonalities that the citizens of a regions share is primarily in line with their approach, nature and spirit. However, modernization of societies has created cultural schisms in the cultural practices of people in different regions in a way that most of the traditions are fading away and are being replaced by easy-to-use, ready-made tools and mechanisms for mounting rituals that once took days or even weeks to be successfully organized.

Memory- telling or history-writing

While reading a memory book, we have faced with the problem that the book’s text and content is not something more than the mentioning of memories or the subjective memories of the work’s owner. In other words, in addition to expressing observations and what is heard during his or her life, the memory-teller on many occasions or according to the requirements talks about the conditions and events which he or she has not witnessed them or even has not heard from other person, but has read and heard them several years or even a few decades later in the books, journals and words, and now have placed them inside his or her memoirs again with another view.

Book Reveals Resistance of Cleric from Abadan

The Center for Examination of Historical Documents of Iran's Intelligence Ministry has recently released a new title on the works and life of Hujatoleslam Gholamhussein Jami according to his SAVAK turnkeys. Arranged in 312 pages, the book is the latest volume of a series entitled as "Imam's Comrades Viewed by SAVAK Agents".

Translator of Polish Literature Dies at 81

Roushan Vaziri, translator of Polish literary works into Persian, died at the age of 81 as she succumbed to death by a tumor in a US hospital. The news of her death was broken by her daughter through emails to friends and relatives last Monday.