Posted on 21, Apr 2015

Oral History & Digital Archiving Certificate Course

Dates: 21- 25 April 2015
Timing: 9:00 am to 5:30 pm
Venue: Yala Maya Kendra, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur

Oral History is recognised as an important field that has contributed to the inclusion of people who have been left out of official histories. Not only that, in the absence of archival documents, Oral History has been effectively used to record histories of institutions and organisations. This certificate course introduces students to the theoretical framework of Oral History. Presenting the basics of Oral History practice, the course incorporates a practical component focusing on audio recording, transcribing and archival practices. Students will be introduced to Oral History project design as well as ways of curating and presenting Oral History. Participants will analyse, examine and interpret existing Oral History projects in order to gain expertise to work on Oral History projects in Nepal. This course will also make participants eligible to participate in the Advanced Programmes in Oral History and Public History that the Centre for Public History in Bangalore, India in the future.

Nepal Picture Library is a digital photo archive established in 2011 interested in documenting a bottom-up history of Nepal. It houses 26,000+ photographs.

The Centre for Public History (CPH) was established in 2011, within the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bengaluru. CPH has been working towards the democratisation of history through new media and digital technologies.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

  • An intensive course which teaches the key elements of theory, methodology and practice of oral history.
  • The course exposes students to the links between theoretical insights and practical challenges in designing Oral History interviews.
  • The course includes training in the use of high-end digital audio recorders, and practical work.
  • The course enables students to understand important theoretical dimensions of oral history practices, and develop interpretative skills in analysing existing work.
  • The course will help students design their oral history projects and how to archive their projects.
  • Students will learn how to curate their projects for the purposes of publication and dissemination.
  • Students will learn how to archive, catalogue and disseminate images using digital technologies and platforms.

SESSIONS

  • Introducing oral history theory: understanding the relationship between history, memory and oral tradition
  • Insights into the use of oral history in working class history, women’s history and community projects
  • Understanding the design of oral history projects
  • Introduction to audio recording and transcription software and technologies
  • Insights into interviewing skills and techniques
  • Analysis and interpretation of oral history interviews
  • Curating oral history in the form of publications, audio-visual material and new media
  • Public history and digital storytelling: how to showcase archival holdings for different audiences
  • Maintaining records: ensuring archives are searchable and discoverable using digital tools

FACILITATORS

Indira Chowdhury is Director of the Centre for Public History at the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bengaluru. Formerly Professor of English at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, she has a PhD in History from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. Her book The Frail Hero and Virile History (OUP, 1998) was awarded the Tagore Prize in 2001. For the last decade she has been building oral history archives for academic institutions, NGOs and corporates. She is a Council Member of the International Oral History Association and has also been instrumental in creating the first Oral History Association of India. Indira is a founding member of the International Editorial Board of the journal Oral History, and also a member of the Advisory Board of the Palgrave Studies of Oral History.

Dr Padmini Ray Murray is Faculty at the Centre for Public History at the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bengaluru. She completed her PhD in English from the University of Edinburgh, after which she joined the University of Stirling as Lecturer in Publishing Studies and Digital Media in 2010. She was one of five Unbox Fellows, funded by the Arts and Humanities Council in 2013 and a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in 2014. Her publications include peer-reviewed articles and chapters in books – ranging from the history of the book to comics and games studies. She is currently Editor-in-Chief, SHARP News, on the Editorial Board of the peer-reviewed journal Technoculture, and on the Executive Board of Global Outlook::Digital Humanities, a Special Interest Group of the Alliance of Digital Humanities Organisations.

COURSE FEE

NRs 5000 per person. The fee covers the use of equipment, all reading materials and course handouts and lunch and tea on all course days. Fees are inclusive of all taxes.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants are required to apply by filling up the form available here: In addition to this, please send us a copy of your latest CV. Please send us your application form and CV to mail@nepalpicturelibrary.org

This course is open to all interested but preference will be given to Nepali participants.

Application deadline: 4 April 2015
Selection Announcement : 10 April 2015

In collaboration with Center for Public History at Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore. Supported by CKU (Danish Centre for Culture and Development).