Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2017 - GSWS 830 G200

Selected Topics Graduate Seminar I (5)

Oral History Theory & Prac

Class Number: 8217

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 5 – Dec 4, 2017: Thu, 1:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Selected Topics

COURSE DETAILS:

As a conversation about the past, oral history has existed as long as people have shared and interpreted their individual and group memories through the spoken word.  Within the academy, oral history has increasingly been embraced since the 1960s as a means of gaining insight into the experiences of individuals and groups who been marginalized from dominant narratives because of gender, race, class, ethnicity, sexuality, (dis)ability, and religion.  In recent decades, it has also engendered interest in the ‘shape’ of narrative forms and the linkages between history, memory, and identity. This course will encourage students to think about various theoretical debates, ethical issues, and methodological challenges that revolve around the field of oral history.  

The course will also provide students with an opportunity to carry out a comprehensive oral history project.  You will work in small groups, planning and implementing projects with the benefit of support from your instructor and feedback from your classmates in weekly seminars.  Each student group will create potential interview questions, learn how to obtain an ethics clearance in accordance with SFU’s Office of Research Ethics, arrange meetings with interview subjects, record and transcribe interviews, and interpret the collected material.  Discussions of theories and approaches will continue throughout the semester, but they will be grounded in your own practical experiences as you report informally on your progress and discuss the challenges you have encountered.  You will also learn creative ways of interpreting and presenting your interview materials through guided access to the Qualitative History Research Laboratory in the History Department.  Using open-access, audio editing software, groups will create audio documentaries, podcasts, or memory walks, and then design a final presentation of your work and present it to your classmates and invited guests.  You will also write a brief reflection paper about your experience on the project and create a portfolio to guide you graduate oral history fieldwork.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

I Demonstrate Advanced knowledge of core concepts and theories
II Develop transferable professional skills
For more detailed information please see the GSWS website: http://www.sfu.ca/gsws/courses/Educational_Goals.html

Grading

  • Seminar leadership and participation 15%
  • Written responses to readings 15%
  • The Big Project – Stage 1 25%
  • The Big Project – Stage 2 45%

NOTES:

GSWS 830-5: ST: ORAL HISTORY: THEORIES AND PRACTICES

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Robert Perks and Alistair Thomson, eds., The Oral History Reader, 3rd ed. (New York: Routledge, 2015).

Additional readings posted on Canvas.

Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://students.sfu.ca/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS