HIST 5906S: The Afterlives of Oral History

Summer 2026 (May-June)

HIST 5906S:  The Afterlives of Oral History

Course Description:

The Afterlives of Oral History is focussed on what happens once an oral history interview is completed.  We shall explore some of the ethical, methodological, and theoretical challenges and opportunities that present themselves for researchers either from the moment they turn their own recorders off or when they encounter interviews in an archive.  What can be done?  What ought to be done?  These two simple questions will guide us through our bi-weekly meetings, as we combine traditional seminar meetings (based on assigned readings, listenings, and viewings) with more workshop-like meetings across the six weeks of the course.  This is not a course in how-to-do an oral history interview.  Rather, this is a course about how to work ethically, critically, and creatively with oral history interviews. It is intended to offer both inspiration and guidance for students considering oral history practices in their own academic and / or professional work, but it will appeal to any history or public history student interested in exploring and contemplating the co-production of historical knowledge, storytelling, and reflexive, ethical scholarly praxis.

As a capstone experience, students in this course are invited to join the members and supporters of the feminist oral history group, The Kitchen Table Collective (https://www.kitchentablecollective.ca/), in Montreal on the evening of Thursday, June 11 (at the Centre des mémoires montréalaises) and most of Friday, June 12 (at Concordia University) for a series of workshops and presentations.  There are funds available to cover transportation costs and a small per diem for Friday. Depending on numbers, there may also be funds available to assist with accommodation. It is not a course requirement.  However, our class has been provided with special, invited access to the event, and it is a special opportunity to learn with some of the best feminist oral historians from all over the academic world. More details to come.

Assessment

As this is a condensed course (meeting twice weekly, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-9 pm,  from May 7 to June 16), assessment will be weighted differently than a traditional twelve-week course.

Attendance and Participation (weekly):  40%

Course Diary (weekly):  35%

Project Proposal (due at end of course):  25%

Details on all of this will be made available on the course website on Brightspace.