Summer Institute on Oral History
June 11-22, 2007

Telling the World: Oral History, Struggles for Justice and Human Rights Dialogues

During this year’s Summer Institute, we will explore how oral history theory and method contribute to an understanding of the political, historical and personal dimensions of human rights dialogues. Joining us in the creation of this year’s program is the International Center for Transitional Justice, whose staff will collaborate with leading oral historians to consider how various practices of truth-telling apply to specific cases of human rights struggles, and to the personal, cultural, and political processes of dialogue. This institute is designed for students, scholars, documentarians, and human rights workers.  Faculty will include, among others: Mary Marshall Clark, Director of OHRO; Amy Starecheski, Interviewer/Educator, OHRO; Ronald J. Grele, Director Emeritus, OHRO; Alessandro Portelli, Professor of American Literature at the University of Rome; Louis Bickford, Vasuki Nesiah, Paige Arthur, and Caitlin Reiger of the International Center for Transitional Justice; Linda Shopes, historian, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; J. Paul Martin, Executive Director of Center for the Study of Human Rights and Director, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Program, Columbia University; Steve Rowland, award-winning audio documentarian and President of CultureWorks; and Roxsana Patel, oral historian and human rights consultant.  Graeme Simpson will speak about the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and Carlos Ivan Degregori will speak on Peru’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Comisión de la Verdad y Reconciliación).

The deadline for applications is April 15, 2007. The tuition is $1,000. Housing is available at a reduced cost.  For inquiries, please contact Mary Marshall Clark at 212-854-2273 or mmc17@columbia.edu.