Oral History Workshop
Part of what we love about the oral history field is the possibility it presents in the classroom. Conducting oral history interviews offers young scholars a unique opportunity to hone a variety of skills: communication, research, documenting, archiving, writing, and more. Through the collection of fieldwork, students create primary sources for use in future scholarly research. Oral history is experiential learning at its best.
In an effort to train young scholars and bring more people into the field of oral history, we offer an annual workshop. The workshop is held at SFA headquarters on the campus of the University of Mississippi in Oxford and is led by SFA oral historian Amy C. Evans.
This workshop is an introduction to SFA-devised oral history methods and practices. The focus will be on digital audio and still photographs, applied to the study of foodways. Workshop participants will be introduced to the field via examples from the SFA archive, become familiar with equipment, acquire interviewing skills, explore the art of documentary photography, and learn a variety of processing techniques.
If you are a current student (graduate or undergraduate) and have an interest in gaining fieldwork experience or enhancing existing skills, we invite you to apply.
*Applications for our 2013 Oral History Workshop are due April 1, 2013
Photo: Amy C. Evans interviewing Willie Mae Evans by Maude Schuyler Clay.
Our oral history workshop is open to undergraduate and graduate students interested in the field of oral history. Applicants must be enrolled in a degree-granting program at the time of the workshop. No previous fieldwork experience is required.
- Dates: May 28-31, 2013
- Application Deadline: April 1, 2013
- Notification: by April 15, 2013
- Equipment: A personal laptop and digital camera are required.
- Fees: None. For 2013, small stipends are available for workshop participants to use towards travel, lodging, and meals.
Registration is limited and admission is very competitive. Selections are based primarily on an applicant’s genuine interest in the field.
Application Requirements:
- Current resume
- Letter of intent (Why are you interested in oral history? How will this workshop inform or enhance future work?)
- One letter of recommendation
All application materials should be submitted via email to Amy C. Evans, acevans@olemiss.edu. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Through the generous support of SFA member Edward Lee of Lousiville, Kentucky, we are pleased to be able to offer two minority scholarships. These funds are intended to help defray some of the costs associated with attending the workshop, e. g., travel and lodging. To be considered for a minority scholarship, please indicate this interest in your letter of intent.
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It is the policy of the University of Mississippi not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, age, sexual orientation or being a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era.
