Squatting History: The Power of Oral History as a History-Making Practice

Abstract

This article analyzes the historical practices of one intergenerational activistcommunity—squatters in New York City—to ground an ethnographic exploration of how oralhistory works as an affective social practice and a means for harnessing the authority ofhistory. By comparing three case studies of oral history telling, the research presentsinstances in which history has been consciously used to try to pass on activist knowledgeto a new generation through public discussions about the past and by making intimateconversations about the past into public documents. Oral history, a formalized practicewith roots in the academy, thereby makes the power of history accessible to grassrootssocial movements. Its combination of authority and affective impact make it a powerfulhistory-telling tool.