URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/L_AABAGES208

Course Objective

At the end of the course, students are able to: Understand the specificities of oral history and biography as sources and methods of historical research and assess their value.Prepare, conduct, and interpret an oral history interview, and store it in a digital repository for reuse.Critically reflect on oral history and the biographical method and take up an informed position in (sensitive) academic debates on these sources and methods, including their digital reuse.

Course Content

This is an intensive methodological course on oral history research and the biographical method. In a series of seminars, you learn how to assess, interpret and reuse oral histories and biographical sources for historical research. You also learn how to conduct oral history interviews by co-creating a collection with your fellow students on a given topic.

Teaching Methods

Seminars, 4 to 6 hours per week in total. Attendance is mandatory.

Method of Assessment

Class participation Oral history interviewEssay

Literature

Lynn Abrams, Oral History Theory (2016) and a selection of articles. The full reading list will be made available to students at the start of the course.

Target Audience

This course is open to BA 2 students Geschiedenis and History & International studies, and students in the History minor. Other students from the Humanities and Social Sciences are welcome to join, but must have completed all of their first year courses and should contact the coordinator first in order to be admitted to the course.

Additional Information

This course is also part of the minor History.

Entry Requirements

Students must have successfully completed their first year of study.

Recommended background knowledge

Students should have successfully completed first-year coursework in academic writing and research skills.

Explanation Canvas

Teaching materials, including handouts and powerpoints, will be made available online on Canvas after each seminar. The textbook and literature used are available from the university library in digital format.
Academic year1/09/2431/08/25
Course level6.00 EC

Language of Tuition

  • Bilingual

Study type

  • Master
  • Bachelor