1999 Summer Institute on Oral History
June 6 - 18, 1999
This year's program explored the methods and uses of oral history, with particular attention to the variety of ways oral history is now used by oral historians around the world. We discussed the steps necessary to prepare oral history for literary publication, for filmed presentations, and the uses of oral history in the therapeutic setting as reflected in the tradition of reminiscence work in England. We analyzed the ways in which oral histories are read and interpreted, and discussed issues of individual and collective memory and expression. We also devoted substantial time to discussion of the history of oral history from an international perspective.
Faculty
Joanna Bornat is a senior lecturer in the School of Health and Social Welfare at the Open University in England. She researches and writes on reminiscence and oral history related topics. She has published an edited collection, Reminiscence Revealed, and is joint editor of the journal, Oral History.
Mary Marshall Clark is the Associate Director of the Oral History Research Office at Columbia University. Formerly, she was an oral historian and filmmaker at the New York Times. She has conducted interviews over a wide range of topics and issues, focusing on women's history and the history of the media in particular.
Ronald J. Grele is the Director of the Oral History Research Office. He is author of Envelopes of Sound: The Art of Oral History as well as numerous articles on the theory and method of oral history. He is past president of the Oral History Association, and he lectures widely on the theories and uses of oral history.
Alessandro Portelli is professor of American Literature at the University of Rome. He is author of The Death of Luigi Trastulli and Other Stories: Form and Meaning in Oral History and The Battle of Valle Guilia: Oral History and the Art of Dialogue. His essays on oral history and narrative have appeared in many journals throughout the world.
Linda Shopes is a historian at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. She has worked to develop and write about community history projects throughout the state of Pennsylvania. She is co-editor of The Baltimore Book: New Views of Local History and is past president of the Oral History Association.
Alistair Thomson is an oral historian based at the University of Sussex in England and teaches courses in oral history and life history research. He is author of Anzac Memories: Living with the Legend and co-editor of The Oral History Reader. He is vice-president of the International Oral History Association, and co-edits its annual bulletin, Words and Silences.
Program
Sunday, June 6
Reception: 90 Morningside Drive, 6 - 8 p.m.
Monday, June 7
9 a.m. - 12:00 noon, The Lehman Suite, 406 International Affairs Introductions, Discussion of Program
Lunch: 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
2:00 - 4:00 p.m. The History of Oral History, Personal Stories
Mary Marshall Clark, Ronald Grele, Jose Carlos Sebe Bom Meihy, Alessandro Portelli
Tuesday, June 8
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Oral History as Genre
Alessandro Portelli
10:30 - 11:00 a.m. Break
11:00 - 12:30 p.m.
Interviewing
Mary Marshall Clark, Ronald Grele, Alessandro Portelli
Lunch: 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
2:00 - 4:00
Interpreting Interviews: Introduction
Faculty led group discussion, presentation and analysis of interviews
Wednesday, June 9
9:00 - 10:30 a.m
Developing Community Oral History Projects
Linda Shopes
Break: 10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
11:00 - 12:30 p.m.
Discussion
Lunch: 12:30 - 2:30 p.m
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Developing Institutional Oral History Projects
Mary Marshall Clark, Ronald J. Grele, Linda Shopes, Brenda Hearing
Thursday, June 10
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Oral History Archives
Ronald J. Grele
Break: 10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Tour of the Oral History Research Office
801 Butler Library
Lunch: 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
New Directions in Oral History: Film and Subjectivity
Film Presentation: To Be Announced
Friday, June 11
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Documenting History and Struggle: The Legacy of Fascism in Popular Memory
Alessandro Portelli
Discussion
Lunch: 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
New Directions in Oral History: Dreams and Memory
Jose Carlos Sebe Bom Meihy
Saturday, June 12
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Trip to Ellis Island
Monday, June 14
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Exhibiting and Presenting Oral History and Discussion of Ellis Island
Break: 10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
11:00 - 12:30 p.m.
New Directions in Oral History: The Rediscovery of Reminiscence
Joanna Bornat
12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
Discussion
Lunch: 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Interpreting Oral Histories as Testimonies
Alistair Thomson
7:00 p.m. - Sail around New York Harbor
South Street Seaport
Tuesday, June 15
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Continuing Challenges for Reminiscence Work
Joanna Bornat
Break: 10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
11:00 - 12:30
Discussion of Theories and Techniques
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Oral History and Community Memory: Reflections on the Life Review Process
Alistair Thomson
Discussion of Theories and Techniques
Wednesday, June 16
9:00 - 12:00 noon
Oral History and Public Policy
Alisa del Tufo
Lunch: 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Discussion of Fellows Projects
Thursday, June 17
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Collective Readings of Oral Histories
Alistair Thomson
10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Group Discussion
Lunch: 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
History, Myth and Ideology: Individual or Collective Memory?
Joanna Bornat, Mary Marshall Clark, Jose Carlos Sebe Bom Meihy, Ronald J. Grele, Alistair Thomson
Break: 3:30 - 4:00 p.m.
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Group Discussion
Friday, June 18
9:00 - 12:00 noon
Summation and Evaluation
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