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“What is oral history?”
Oral history is one method historians, storytellers, and community activists use to record history. It generally includes gathering, preserving, and interpreting the voices, experiences, and memories of people and communities who participated in past events. Historians use the raw data from oral historical interviews—the transcripts—as primary sources for historical analysis. The words of individuals tell us how those people understand they world, the barriers in it, and the possibilities in front of them.
"What is an oral history interview?"
Oral history interviews generally consist of a well-prepared interviewer asking questions to a narrator, listening to their stories, and recording their exchange in audio or video formats, which are then transcribed, edited, archived, presented, and used in different ways. TLP approaches the oral history interview as an act of "shared authority," in which we focus on narrator decision-making and concerns. Shared authority in interviews includes a comprehensive pre-interview stage, co-constructed consent and preservation form, "rolling consent," and other narrator-focused structures.
“How will my words be used?”
Before sitting down with an interviewer, each narrator will complete an informed consent form in which you can indicate exactly how you wish for your words, voice, and image to be used. Typical uses include: as part of an oral history archive, as sources in academic scholarship, or as part of a physical installation or digital display that tells the broader history of your organization or community for the public. Before anything is published, you will be able to view and/or edit the transcript and outputs that include your words, voice, or image.
"What if I change my mind about how my words, voice, or image is used?”
No problem. Just contact us and we will make the changes asap.
“Does oral history require IRB approval?”
No. In 2019, the federal “Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects” was amended to exclude oral history from Institutional Review Board review. Professional oral historians had long advocated for this change because they believed that many of the IRB policies and procedures directly violated accepted principles and best practices of oral history. Oral historians generally agree that the IRB process is poorly suited to the consensual, shared authority interview methods that are the foundation of ethical oral history practice. IRB policies that require confidentiality or the destruction of interviews after a period of time directly contradict the idea of narrator ownership of copyright and best practices of preservation.
"What is the “social justice approach to oral history work” that TLP employs?"
According to the Oral History Association’s Social Justice Task Force (SJTF), Social Justice Oral History is defined by ethical and procedural focus on the narrator (concerns, vulnerabilities, and desires) and centers on a consistent effort to co-create and share power. This stance is in opposition to previous approaches that heavily weighted the interviewers and future researchers over the narrator. Social justice oral history “moves at the speed of trust,” centering and empowering the narrator at every step. These principles inform all of the work that we do here at TLP. You can read more about social justice oral history work here.
“What if I want my words to be used but I would feel more comfortable remaining anonymous?”
No problem. We can attribute the entire interview or quotations to “anonymous,” or we can work together to find a pseudonym (fake name) that feels right to you. We can also change immediately identifying details (e.g. your hometown, schools you attended, or specific work details). Just your interviewer know, let us know on your informed consent form, or contact us anytime to change how your words are attributed.
"How are your interviewers prepared to conduct interviews?"
Before conducting interviews, all of our interviewers are trained in oral history methodology and practice. Some interviewers are enrolled in HON 3993, an oral history colloquium, and receive their training in the context of an undergraduate class. Other researchers are trained as part of their internship with TLP. In any case, training covers the history of the field of oral history, practice in developing guiding questions, practice in active listening and in the co-creation of interviews, and ethical topics such as trauma-informed interviewing.
"I have a project idea and/or would like to participate as an interviewer/narrator."
Great! TLP actively welcomes project proposals from the community. Please fill out the "Propose a Project" form and someone from TLP will get back to you. If you are interested in participating in a particular project as a narrator or an interviewer, please fill out the "Participate" form. Someone from TLP will respond if your profile fits the needs of the project.