Jarmila Mildorf, Life Storying in Oral History. Fictional Contamination and Literary Complexity

Notes on Contributors

Quilting Voices

This chapter provides an overview of the theoretical, methodological, and ethical issues surrounding oral history for qualitative researchers including an examination of various types of oral history projects, participants, power issues, issues of researcher-narrator-participant relationships in oral history, and Institutional Research Boards (IRBs). Theory, methods, and ethics are intertwined in oral history research, with each having an impact on the other. The chapter illustrates the characteristics of oral history, examines how theories of the self impact oral history approaches, and discusses the meaning of intersubjectivity. Further, the meaning of orality in oral history, oral history narration as performance, and the concepts of neutrality and objectivity, as well as what it means to adopt a critical perspective as a researcher are examined in this chapter.

Reviewed by: Chicana Sexuality and Gender: Cultural Refiguring in Literature, Oral History, and Art Nadia Avendaño Chicana Sexuality and Gender: Cultural Refiguring in Literature, Oral History, and Art. Duke University Press, 2008. By Debra J. Blake. What do La Malinche, La Llorona, and la Virgen de Guadalupe and Mexica goddesses all have in common? They are all cultural symbols that have exerted a profound impact on the way women of Mexican descent have understood their sexuality and have imagined their roles within society and the family. This study, a welcome volume addition to the critical series Latin America Otherwise: Languages, Empires, Nations, examines the way different groups of Chicana and U.S. Mexicana women have made use of these cultural symbols to negotiate, contest, and transform the forces that have restricted or oppressed them. Since the 1980's Chicana writers and artists have refigured these iconic figures and assigned them new meanings. Debra J. Blake compares these refigurings by professional intellectual Chicanas with that of working-class and semiprofessional women's oral narratives. The book examines how representations of the four Mexican female cultural figures have been used by dominant forces from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century to oppress women, and how Chicana writers have been influenced by their "transformative foremother," La Malinche. In contrast to patriarchal representations, Blake analyzes how Chicana artists have [End Page 224] refashioned the four figures in the late twentieth century and early twenty-first centuries. Blake then examines the significance of indigenous Mexican mother earth goddesses used in fictional and autobiographical writings by Gloria Anzaldúa, Cherríe Moraga, Alma Luz Villanueva, Ana Castillo, and Sandra Cisneros and compares them with several interrelated feminist discourses including anthropology, spirituality, and radical/cultural feminist debates about sexuality, women's culture, and universalized gender oppression. The book subsequently discusses the importance of La Virgen de Guadalupe in the lives of the working-class and semi-professional women from a semiotic perspective and shows how their refigurings of women's roles and sexuality are based in practical or action-oriented strategies. It also analyzes both groups' shared experiences with the legend of La Llorona, and its continuing relevance in Chicana cultural thought, for example, the legend's disciplinary function for children and its regulatory message regarding female sexuality. Blake analyzes fictional writings by Chicanas that refigure the misogynist view of La Llorona. Finally, the author considers the historical reception of written and oral narratives from a literary studies perspective and suggests that oral histories be "read" as literary representations and incorporated into the "canon." Blake concludes that regardless of Chicanas' and U.S. Mexicanas' social and economic locations, the female symbol they affiliate with, or how they identify, their narratives indicate that they are engaged in claiming and redefining power for themselves and others. Finally, this study shows that Chicana feminist writings continue to address significant concerns affecting real women's lives, including those of working-class and semiprofessional women, and to redefine what it means to be a Chicana or U.S. Mexicana into the twenty-first century. Chicana Sexuality and Gender is the first full-length study of Chicana literature to analyze oral histories as narrative representations along with fictional writings and visual artists' representations. This study offers one of the most thorough discussions of the archetypes of La Malinche, La Llorona, and La Virgen de Guadalupe as well as the lesser known Mexica goddesses. Though Blake provides an in-depth analysis of the experiences of Chicanas and U.S. Mexicanas, she recognizes that further studies of the experiences and ideas of middle-class, professional Mexican American women would contribute an even more complex picture regarding identity politics, Mexican female cultural symbols, gender roles and sexualities. Despite this omission, Debra J. Blake makes a great contribution to Chicano/a studies, feminist theory, cultural studies, and literary studies. Nadia Avendaño College of Charleston Copyright © 2009 The Board of Regents of the University of Arizona

In the past, oral narrative tended to be regarded as a two-dimensional phenom- enon largely confined to the form of the spoken or (later) printed word. Over the last twenty years, however, oral narratives have gradually gained thickness in the eyes of folklore scholars who have increasingly demanded that more attention be paid to the social and personal contexts that gave rise to these narratives. This present article reviews the ways in which the understanding of oral narrative depends on its physical, mental and social sur- roundings, noting also how the process is actually reciprocal, since while taking much from their surroundings, narratives are also capable of subtly changing the contexts that gave birth to them. Working out from the three-dimensional nature of the oral narrative per- formance, it is argued that much could be gained from analysing oral narratives as pieces of theatre or dramatic performances rather than as pieces of text. It might be argued that all folklore unconsciously involves ideas of boundaries and inhabited space, especially with regard to its relationship with the recurring concept of us and them, and following on from this, the closely associated ideas concerning otherness and the inside and the outside of the worlds we in- habit. These ideas are probably most clearly reflected in the fields of festival, game and folk narrative: indeed, in the field of folk narrative studies, the concept of has taken on ever-increasing importance over the last few years, espe- cially with regard to the examination of the direct living context of the perform- ance event that produced the story (see Bauman 1977: 27-29), and then the role played by the space which the individual storyteller inhabited throughout his or her life. 1 The central themes of the International Society for Folk Research Con- gress in Tartu, in 2005, were Narrative Theories and Modern Practices. Without doubt, one of the key developments in the scholarly approach to the folk narra- tive over the last 150 years has been a gradual move away from the earlier ap- proach of examining these narratives merely as a series of written or recorded words printed anonymously on a flat page below neat story headings. In such a form, oral narratives are as isolated from their context as dead butterflies pinned to a table for examination. Thanks to the work of Parry and Lord and their follow-

Purpose The paper aims to explore animation as a medium to revive the oral narrative of the Bodo community. The Bodo oral narratives are crucial for preserving the tribe's traditional values, but modernization is endangering their oral tradition. Transmitting folk culture to youth is crucial for its continuity and knowledge retention. The objective of the study was to examine the use of animation design approach for the transmission of oral narratives to the young generation. Design/methodology/approach This design exploration involves a case study, field visit, user study, expert interaction for authentication and questionnaire-based survey. The approach integrates the animation design process with a popular myth of the Bodo tribe's musical instrument, Serja. This exploration seeks to visually present a reliable version of the story based on expert advice and published articles using instructional animation technique. Findings The positive response in the user survey suggests that the animation design exploration effectively represented the traditional and cultural aspects of the Bodo community. Feedback and comments from the participants have confirmed that animation can enhance the storytelling experience by effectively communicating oral stories. Research limitations/implications The exploration in this research tries to establish a visual representation of the oral narratives of the Bodo community for the younger generation. Practical implications The exploration in this research tries to establish a visual representation of the oral narratives of the Bodo community for the younger generation. Social implications By using the digital medium, indigenous communities can sustain a long-lasting legacy of their oral stories. Originality/value The paper acknowledges the authentic essence of Bodo culture, rooted in their oral stories. Furthermore, it effectively captured and conveyed this essence using an animation design approach.

Inter-ethnic violence and counter-violence have been at the center of writings on identity politics among ethnic groups in India’s Northeast. Yet, the existing literature on these aspects in India, especially in the Northeast region, has missed out on a very significant dimension. Very few studies have focused on the use of oral narratives and folklores as important methods that contribute to identity politics and conflict transformation among ethnic groups. Preliminary research suggests that ethnic violence in Northeast India exhibits variations in terms of the patterns of violence and state responses that shape the outcome of the conflicts. Oral narratives are the repositories of cultural reproduction of marginalized communities and serve as important tools that enable these communities to reclaim their identity, social justice and shape their agency. The aim of the paper is, therefore, to examine how and to what extent oral traditions and narratives in the form of folklore help mobilize marginalized ethnic groups in conflict zones in India’s Northeast. The paper uses the case study of the historically marginalized Bodo ethnic group to examine the linkages between folklore, identity construction, mobilization and peace.

Oral history and related scholarship is thriving in Latin America, Portugal, and Spain. This book is an effort to disseminate some of this work in English. The 11 chapters in this collection represent oral narrative research in Brazil, Mexico, the Southern Cone of South America, Portugal, and Spain. The authors come from the fields of oral history, biographical approaches in sociology, and anthropology, and are both young and established scholars who have not published before, or at least not extensively, in English. While this volume does not pretend to offer a comprehensive overview or a representative sample of the voluminous research on oral narratives in these geographical regions,1 the chapters give access to and insight into how Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish scholars approach theoretical, methodological, interpretive, and representational issues in their work. These chapters come together around three major themes that have long concerned oral historians: memory, subjectivity, and representation. They reflect current and ongoing research on the relationship of political identities and collective memory, the turn toward subjectivities and the construction of personal and social identities, and the public representation of memory through oral narratives.

Europe's Staging – Staging Europe Nicole Haitzinger (bio) and Stella Lange (bio) In the context of contemporary performing arts it should, firstly, be stated that theatre is declared as the venue of negotiation for political and social questions and that, secondly, as a consequence, Europe is staged in specified ways; thematic positing such as negotiations of borders, construction of identities or history that weave between fact and fiction are worth mentioning here. It is no coincidence that models of theatre resonate with contemporary playwriting and staging practices where theatre and politics have been articulated explicitly or alternative models of society have been designed. They carry, among others, documentary, historical, commemorative, and utopian features. Transitions from reality to fiction appear blurred, concealed or seemingly defini ve. In some cases, contemporary playwriting and staging procedures refer explicitly to historical European theatrical forms such as the Attic tragedy and frequently to the tragic or mournful. This "(dis)course on Europe" tested in specific European Countries and particularly at international theatre festivals over the past few years faces, with exceptions, however, a hitherto virtually undifferentiated state of research. The relevance of the topic can also be tracked in a series of recent conferences, newly founded journals, and associations, as well as prominent writers and artists who proclaim their manifestos on theatre and Europe in an avant-garde manner. This edition focuses on those theatrical works that thematically discuss "Europe" and its social, political, economic, and cultural questions through a comparative, transnational, or decolonial perspective oriented towards performance analysis. Particular attention is paid to narrative, structural, and aesthetic strategies as well as alterations that the text is subjected to right up to the production and performance on stage. Both aspects should, thus, be taken into account: the relative source text and the theatrical event. More specifically, it begs the question whether theatrical structures, staging practices, and aesthetic parameters initiate a historical reflection on Europe in the context of theatre. With regard to the inquiry of a European or cosmopolitical society, the additional question arises which homogenous or heterogeneous forms of representation can be found for the individual, the group, or community within the theatre and how traditional theatre forms, most notably tragedy, are revisited and undergo a revaluation and update. Thisis, notleast, becausethechoiceof genre, resources, imagery used, and, finally, theatre aesthetics and implication is subject to specific teleological narratives or societal processes of inclusion and exclusion. Europe's Staging: Three Trends in Contemporary Theatre In contemporary theatre, the staging of Europe is to be situated in the complex constellations of politics and aesthetics. If theatre is defined as a practice distinguishable from politics – and we think that in the perspective of theatre, literary studies, and the recognition of numerous historical resonances in the dispositive of a Europeanoriented contemporary theatre, it is imperative in the widest sense – then various trends can be differentiated. We would like to [End Page 125] introduce three trends briefly that can neither be classified in distinct categories of political or agitational theatre, nor can they be identified with the assertion that in theatre every position, posture, or action/movement is political per se. (1) Documentary and Investigative Theatre, Documentality, and Forms of Documented Unreliability It is not surprising that the contemporary staging of Europe starts with a revision of documents and their function within different theatrical narratives. The archive of Europe has been grown in size since 1990 and been challenged with transnational narratives and documents from non-European countries – of course not only since the increasing migration to Europe at the end of the 20th century. Furthermore, the constitution of the archive has changed with the cultural turn that strives to give attention to objects beyond the written paper when thinking only of oral and performative history or the inscription in a global and digital world. Eventually, with the reprise of the new 'real' or 'reality' in all arts, documents have become the prioritized reference point. Some producers refer to the genre of 'documentary theatre' claiming specifically the reference to lived 'reality' and 'truth'. Others return to documentary theatre and its last remaining witnesses in order to rewrite national history in a transnational European History. However, as Hito Steyerl...

The central feature of Patricia Leavy’s book, Oral History: Understanding Qualitative Research, is the legitimization of doing oral history and, generally, qualitative research in the social sciences. Leavy reviews the foundational philosophies that inform the qualitative practice of doing social research and the methodological tools that affirm the scientific nature of oral history (such as reflection, explicitness, proper coding, and congruence). Leavy instructs the reader through each stage of the methodological process from research design to writing up the research findings. Oral History is not only an instructional guide but also a response to the critics of the qualitative approach who believe oral history is too subjective and lacks the scientific rigor of the quantitative.

Purpose Oral history as a method of understanding the lived experience spans multiple disciplines including education, women and gender studies, history, and disability studies. Oral histories can be a vehicle for people on the periphery to tell their stories, a method well suited to pursuits related to social justice and social work. The purpose of this manuscript is to report on a scoping review that was conducted to better understand how oral history methods have been used in social work. Material and Methods To answer our review question, we use an established scoping review framework. Based on eligibility criteria, 23 manuscripts were identified – all published in peer-reviewed English language journals between 2005 and 2023 and written by social work-credentialed authors. Results The authors identified three themes that reflect the uses of oral history studies in social work: oral history used as a teaching tool in social work education, oral history used to document the experiences and knowledge of social service trailblazers, and commentaries about using oral history and other biographical methods in social work. Discussion This review highlights how oral history, as a method, has contributed to social work research and scholarship. Conclusion Recommendations are made as to the usefulness of oral history to address social problems and practice issues important to the field of social work.

This article offers a comprehensive analysis of the role of oral history research in documenting the experience of the Russian–Ukrainian war in the Chernihiv region and its significance for the development of memorial tourism amid the ongoing full–scale conflict. The purpose of the research of the article is to examine the mechanisms for integrating oral history testimonies about the war events in the Chernihiv region into memorial tourism practices, as well as to determine the role of this interaction in preserving collective memory, strengthening local identity, and enhancing civic engagement. It also examines methodological and ethical aspects of recording wartime experiences, the representation of traumatic narratives in public space, and mechanisms for integrating oral history into memorial routes. The research methodology combines general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization) with those based on oral history, including the collection, transcription, and interpretation of individual eyewitness testimonies. The scientific novelty lies in the comprehensive analysis of the synergy between oral history research on wartime events in a specific region that experienced occupation (Chernihiv) and its direct application in the development of memorial tourism during an active phase of the conflict. For the first time, a critical perspective is offered on the integration of oral history into memorial tourism practices, focusing on the ethical and methodological challenges of documenting traumatic experiences. The study highlights the potential of oral history as a tool for consolidating national memory, strengthening local identity, and effectively countering historical distortion—particularly relevant in the context of information warfare. Conclusions: The analysis demonstrates that oral testimonies serve as an invaluable source for reconstructing a comprehensive picture of the Russian–Ukrainian war in the Chernihiv region. Their integration into memorial routes and tourism initiatives has significant potential for preserving historical memory, reinforcing local identity, and encouraging civic engagement.

ABSTRACTSocial factors play a critical role in almost every conservation problem. There is a pressing need for conservation researchers and practitioners to understand both the ecological and human dimensions of their systems in order for projects to be successful. At the same time, many conservation professionals come from a natural science background with little training in or limited access to social research methodologies. The purpose of this article is to review the principal methods of social science field research relevant for biological conservation: archival research, key informant interviews, oral histories, surveys, focus groups, participant observation, discourse analysis and participatory research. Our goal is to provide a scaffold of knowledge for those unfamiliar with these methods, outlining each approach and providing examples of how they have been applied to conservation problems. We emphasise social research designed to advance conservation objectives, particularly in the case of the conservation of biodiversity on islands internationally, where high endemism and risk of extinction combine with diverse human needs, values and belief systems. Based on the literature reviewed, we contribute a timeline suggesting when to implement these social methodologies during conservation efforts on inhabited islands.

It presents the reports of a qualified immigrant from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Brazil, with the objectives of constructing the immigrant's life story, treating the immigration theme from a socio-environmental perspective and presenting the factors that enable the adaptation and integration of the same to the new community. The methodologies used were Oral History and Life History, which were able to present the interviewee's narrative about his life and the migratory process, relating them to the researcher's understanding of the story told in the light of related bibliography. Semi-structured interviews were recorded, which were later transcribed and transformed into documents for the construction of the immigrant's life history. The document produced through the interviews was treated using Content Analysis, which enabled the perception of categories, which were analyzed in the results. The discussion revolved around the family configuration in the DRC, the social structure and group formation in the country, the social interaction of a citizen of the world, the trajectories and networks of contacts of the immigrant, and the codes, postures and institutionsthat are important in the migratory process. The conclusions reached were that poverty and lack of opportunities are the main causes of skilled immigration; whereas family and cultural structures are important elements in the construction of the immigrant's identity; that academic and religious institutions and immigrant associations play a significant role in the cultural adaptation and integration of foreigners, due to theproduction of social capital, and that socio-environmental elements can produce topophilia in relation to the new country chosen to reside temporarily or permanently.

Stories with Impact: The Potential of Storytelling to Contribute to Cultural Research and Social Inclusion