Oral History Interviewing with Purpose and Critical Awareness

Abstract

Abstract Oral history interviewing is a viable qualitative research orientation for many qualitative researchers in various disciplines. Oral history is the collection of stories, statements, and reminiscences of a person or persons who have firsthand knowledge of any number of experiences. It offers qualitative researchers a way to capture the lived experiences of participants. The techniques of oral history are those of the qualitative researcher, including interviews, document analysis, photographs, and video. The current digital era offers many opportunities to address critical issues and possibilities for the oral historian as qualitative researcher. Major issues that emerge are those of understanding the purpose of power structures in participants’ lives, arts-based approaches to oral history aware of transdisciplinarity, and developing critical consciousness or awareness of one’s place in societal structures. Possibilities are endless in terms of using digital techniques and arts-based techniques for data presentation, data analysis, and dissemination. The power of oral history is the power of storytelling. By using current technology and working in a transdisciplinary context, oral history may now be more readily accessible and available to a wider population, thus moving toward a critical social consciousness.