Telling Stories: Oral History Methods and Practice

In this course we will explore historical and contemporary issues in U.S. society through oral history. Key themes include: community, history, memory, power, identity, and social movements. We will practice the craft of conducting and documenting life stories interviews, paying close attention to ethical and technological issues. Readings, documentary films, NPR-StoryCorps projects, archives, and museum exhibits grounded in oral history will serve as texts to explore diverse ways of using and thinking about this dynamic source of knowledge. Collaborative projects will provide opportunities to pursue original research anchored in oral histories. With the permission of interviewees, digitally recorded interviews and related materials created during this course will be donated to Middlebury’s Special Collections. 3 hrs. lect.