Oral history goes transnational

By Caitlin Tyler-Richards

Barring something unforeseen circumstances — looking at you, USPS — all subscribers should have received their copy of the Oral History Review Volume 40, Issue 2. We’re quite proud of this round of articles, which in the words of our editor-in-chief Kathy Nasstrom, “extends our editorial mission in two key areas — the internationalization of the journal and our multimedia initiative.” Through discussions of survival and silence, the contributors to OHR 40.2 address oral histories from the Soviet Union to Portugal. You can view the table of contents online — and if you have access, read articles!

We want to draw readers’ attention to two articles in particular. First, Claire Payton’s “Vodou and Protestantism, Faith and Survival: The Contest over Spiritual Meaning of the 2010 Earthquake in Haiti.” In this piece, Payton draws on interviews conducted following the January 2010 earthquake to explore the spiritual dimension of Haitians’ survival. We invite everyone to read her article now in preparation for the genius that will occur when we interview her in December.

This issue also marks the return of our pedagogy section! We are providing open access to Ken Woodard’s “The Digital Revolution and Pre-Collegiate Oral History: Meditations on the Challenge of Teaching Oral History in the Digital Age.” Here, Woodard assesses a digital-oriented oral history project he assigned in his high school US history class. We hope you all enjoy the article and return for his interview in 2014.

Finally, with this issue we officially bid adieu to our long-time book review editor John Wolford and once again welcome David Caruso into the fold. (Editor’s Note: OHA members can read more about Wolford and Caruso in the most recent OHA Newsletter Volume 47, Number 2.)

Caitlin Tyler-Richards is the editorial/media assistant at the Oral History Review. When not sharing profound witticisms at @OralHistReview, Caitlin pursues a PhD in African History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research revolves around the intersection of West African history, literature and identity construction, as well as a fledgling interest in digital humanities. Before coming to Madison, Caitlin worked for the Lannan Center for Poetics and Social Practice at Georgetown University.

The Oral History Review, published by the Oral History Association, is the U.S. journal of record for the theory and practice of oral history. Its primary mission is to explore the nature and significance of oral history and advance understanding of the field among scholars, educators, practitioners, and the general public. Follow them on Twitter at @oralhistreview, like them on Facebook, add them to your circles on Google Plus, follow them on Tumblr, listen to them on Soundcloud, or follow the latest OUPblog posts via email or RSS to preview, learn, connect, discover, and study oral history.

Subscribe to the OUPblog via email or RSS.
Subscribe to only history articles on the OUPblog via email or RSS.
Image Credit: Image courtesy of Caitlin Tyler-Richards