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Oral History and Inclusion: New Research

When: —
Venue: External

Oral History and Inclusion: New Research

Wednesday 12 October, 3.00 - 4.00pm

Room 206, Birkbeck Central, entrance on Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY

In person only

This history workshop is free and open to all, but registration is essential (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/oral-history-and-inclusion-new-research-tickets-423370983007)

Georgia Anderson, 'Deaf signed oral histories - methodological challenges' and Chandan Mahal, ‘Talking and listening: The efficacy of sound heritage’. 

Georgia Anderson will be presenting on developing a Deaf signed oral history methodology. She’ll be considering ethics, field work, collaboration and intersubjectivity in the deaf-hearing interview dynamic as well as translation, subtitles and transcription. Georgia graduated from Birkbeck Public Histories MA in 2021 and is currently working for a Deaf mental health outreach charity in London. Her work considers the conceptual and methodological challenges that are presented by recording interviews in sign language and producing inclusive and accessible signed oral histories of Deaf lives.

Chandan Mahal has led the national public engagement programmes for the Unlocking Our Sound Heritage project, at the British Library, a project with 10 regional Hub partners aimed to digitise and preserve over 300,00 rare and unique recordings that include oral history recordings, music, wildlife and all matter of sound. Working with different audiences, older and young people, one of the aims was to explore how sound archives can promote historical curiosity, support wellbeing, memory, and creativity, and engage different audiences to be involved in co-creating new ways of thinking about sound heritage. The workshop will share some of the case studies and consider how sound can provide opportunities for engaging with history and connect different communities through listening and creative responses. 

Chandan is currently the National Learning and Partnership Manager at the British Library for the Unlocking our Sound Heritage project. Her PhD research examines the relationship between family history and ancestral place for people with diasporic connections to Punjab. A collaboration between Queen Mary University London and the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), she examines the role of oral histories, and material culture in recovering family memory and community heritage

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