This two-part workshop covers the fundamental theories and practices of oral history through mini-presentations, exercises and group discussion. Woven into our topical discussions––of ethics, motives, power, individual/collective memory and trauma––will be instruction on Project Design and methodology, including technical tutorials around recording and preserving interviews. We will discuss oral history as a possible form of ....Read More

This immersive workshop is a rigorous introduction to the field of oral history, organized in collaboration with the National Public Housing Museum as part of an effort to establish an aural history/future of public housing in the voices of public housing residents and housing community members.

Over the course of 8 days, we’ll cover interview techniques, project design, and recording tutorials, plus sessions dedicated to ethics, trauma, advocacy, archives, and other special topics. Participants will be conducting interviews throughout the week. With our focus on oral history, public housing and the emergent museum. Read More....

Instructors: Suzanne Snider and guest instructors Sarita Daftary (El Puente) and Walis Johnson (Red Line Archive)

Come all ye budding oral historians, media makers, advocates and others who wish to make of use of oral history in your practices. This immersive Hudson workshop is a rigorous introduction to the field of oral history. Over the course of 8 days, we’ll cover interview techniques, project design, and recording tutorials, plus sessions dedicated to ethics, trauma, advocacy, archives, and other related topics. This workshop is ...Read More

For many of us, family is the obvious—and sometimes most complicated—place to start our work as oral historians. In this workshop, participants will learn how to use oral history to document and preserve their family stories. We’ll discuss common challenges: convincing your family to participate, delving into sensitive subjects and secrets, and working with interviewees who may suffer from memory loss...Read More

In this writing and oral history workshop, students experiment with a range of literary forms that use oral history as both source material and text. Monologues, oral narratives, documentary theater, and oral tone poetry are among the traditions already defined at the intersection of writing and oral history. We will explore these known traditions (and invent our own) alongside more obscure genres, dividing our days between discussions, writing exercises, screenings, select readings and optional workshop time. Oral history excels at complicating the narrative. How can we....Read More»»