Why are oral histories so valuable?

What will be an ideal response?


Written history is most often controlled by the ruling class, or those in power. The limitations of documents filtered through official agencies or organizations only tell a small point of view, and reflect only front-stage information. Facts that are crucial to understanding research questions or hypotheses may have been combed out of the written documents. Oral histories capture the real life experiences and memories of people, and cannot so easily be omitted, edited, erased, shredded, or swept away. They allow the researcher to investigate the everyday for people, and their trials and tribulations. Oral histories allow the researcher to access the subjectivity of a social group that has been "muted, excised from history, and invisible to the official records of their culture."

Political Science

You might also like to view...

Which best describes the approaches being taken by states to address the problem of cell phone use by drivers?

A. Most states have banned text messaging by drivers, but states have done a variety of things with regard to cell phone use while driving. B. Most states have not dealt with the issue of texting and cell phone use. C. All 50 states have banned cell phone use by novice drivers. D. Only a handful of states have attempted to create policies to address this problem.

Political Science

The Tea Party and the occupy Wall Street movement have almost __________ political views

Fill in the blank(s) with correct word

Political Science

The idea that internal executive branch communications are not for public or congressional scrutiny is called ____________________

Fill in the blank(s) with correct word

Political Science

The process in all states to amend the state constitution includes which of the following?

a. Approval of the legislature b. Approval of the governor c. Approval of the voters in a statewide ballot d. Approval of a constitutional convention

Political Science