Head of Center for the Study of Popular Culture Announced

Holding "The First Comprehensive Course of Oral History Training" in Isfahan

Maryam Asadi Jafari
Translated by Ruhollah Golmoradi

2017-6-19

Mohammad Memarian, director of the Museum Assar khane Shahi (Center for the Study of Isfahan Popular Culture) informed call of "The first comprehensive Course of Oral History Training" and said: after the exam, participants will receive a valid certificate of ending the course and will be invited to carry out projects of Isfahan municipality in field of oral history.

According to Iran Oral History Website, Mohammad Memarian after announcing the news said: "Museum of Assar Khane Shahi (Center for the Study of Isfahan Popular Culture) started its oral history projects seriously as the first subsidiary organ of the municipality in 2016."

He continued: the first project was oral history of major Isfahan Bazar that Ph.D. Mehdi Abolhasani began recording oral history of Isfahan Bazaar rows, but due to high volume of work and lack of expertise in this area, we hold a conference titled "Importance and function of oral history in contemporary era" with participation of the general public, researchers and enthusiasts last year. A significant number registered in the conference for passing training courses. However, we announced call of the first comprehensive course of oral history training in 1396 (SH) so that regarding urban capacities of Isfahan, to absorb many researchers and enthusiasts of the field and teach them.

Head of Museum of Assar Khane Shahi said: this comprehensive course will be held under supervision of masters in both introductory and advanced levels. The participants, after the exam, will receive a valid certificate of ended course end and will be invited for doing Isfahan municipal projects in field of oral history.

Memarian, referring to being knowledgeable of history students, especially local history, of oral history, stated: in the call of last year, we invited students and even professors to attend in the meetings, but those who were interested in learning science of oral history also were invited. Since oral history is a new science and study field, non-academic trainings under supervision of professors also would make ready people to work.

He added: given that any series of activities in society has its own oral history, we invited also people who work in areas such as seminaries and architecture to participate in the courses in order to work as an expert in their fields. We will make every effort to work in accordance with scientific standards of the day in this area.

Head of the Center for the Study of Isfahan Popular Culture, explained about scientific programs of the first comprehensive oral history training: Doctor Mehdi Abolhasani is head of the course and we will use professors such as Ph.Ds. Moloud Sotudeh, Mohammad Eidi and Ali Akbar Jafari, head of Department of History at the University of Isfahan. Of course, other friends, invited by doctor Abolhasani, will attend for different courses. We will invite also Tehran experts in order to be able to carry out oral history professionally.

Mohammad Memarian said: participants at advanced level will be classified based on interests and expertise. For example, we will entrust oral history of congregations of Isfahan and architecture of Isfahan to these field enthusiasts. All these projects will be implemented under supervision of doctor Abolhasani.

Finally he reminded: enthusiasts can refer to http://assarkhaneh.ir/ to get register form until June 12, 2017. They can also, for more information, call number +98 031-32241087. The first comprehensive course of oral history training will be started after holy month of Ramadan and we hope to reach a good conclusion until mid-Mordad (SH) and to train a significant number in this field.

It is deserved to be said that Museum of Assar Khane Shahi was introduced by ICOM (the International Council of Museums) as the best museum of country in research part for thanksgiving its activities in field of oral history.