Educational Material Working Group 1
Slow Memory and Oral History Educational Resource
Working Group 1: Transformation of work
- Slow Memory and Oral History (Natalie Braber)
- Slow Resistance as Remembrance: Practices for a fairer future (Joanna Wawrzyniak)
As part of the Slow Memory project, members of Working Group 1 have been recording oral histories and life stories with trade unionists to learn about their wider experiences of deindustralisation, strikes and life as a trade union member around many different European countries. We think that working with oral histories is a good way to slow down and really focus on what we want to know and learn from those we are recording. It takes time to locate people, build up relationships, carry out interviews, transcribe and work out what you are going to do with your data. We also think it is a very good way for young people to engage with other members of their family and community to learn more about the way things were. As such, we wanted to create a ‘how to’ guide which can be used to learn the basics of carrying out a good oral history interview.
In the attached guide, which is available in English as well as 32 other languages, you can find out more about how we want to remember the past as well as the practicalities of carrying out a good interview, making a good recording and considering the ethics surrounding all of this. There is also information about practical issues such as equipment, storage and creating information sheets and consent forms to ensure you are ethical in your project.
Teacher Resources
These resources are not intended to be comprehensive, and each includes links to further reading, lesson ideas, images and testimonies.