kagablog

6th National Oral History Conference
Cape Town 13-16 October 2009
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

Conference theme
Over the past few years, the Oral History Association of South Africa and National Archives and Record Services of South Africa (Department of Arts
and Culture) have convened a number of conferences, which provided a platform for discussions and debates regarding the role and position of oral history in South Africa. Previously conferences have explored a number of themes ranging from “Culture, Memory and Trauma” and “Truth, Legitimacy and Representation: Oral History and Alternative Voices” to “Hidden Voices, Untold Stories and Veiled Memories”.

This year we would like to carve out a space to critically reflect on the process of collecting voices and politics associated with this endeavour since 1994.
There are various aspects of ‘collecting voice/s’; visual, aural, textual – with the attendant dilemmas and complexities. It is hoped that this conference will offer an opportunity to tease out these dilemmas and complexities through constructive discussions and debates.

Some general questions the conference seeks to consider include:
• Archiving – accessibility, dissemination, product development (how not to colonise voices…)

• Language – the role and use of language and translation in the process of transcription

• ‘Testimony fever’ - what happens when you freeze the living voice?

• What is at stake in the drive to collect stories before people pass on?

• How has post-1994 legislation impacted on how oral history work is done? Has oral history become too popularised? Are oral histories and voices being
colonised by institutions in the quest for uncovering hidden histories?

• Teaching oral history – the place of oral history in schools

• The relationship between orality and literacy

• Oral history and social cohesion as a tool for nation-building? Are life histories representative?

• Oral history and human rights / social justice? Interviewing after atrocity. The relationship between testimony and data or evidence

• Are there spaces for different approaches to oral history?

You will note that the issue of ethics has not been formulated as a separate topic because ethical issues are part of all aspects of oral history work so to separate ethics out as distinct would create a superficial divide. Also note that these possible discussion topics are mostly framed as questions. This too is deliberate and it is hoped that this spirit of questioning will set the tone for a conference of learning and sharing from and with one another.

Format of contributions
We welcome a range of contributions – including academic papers, case studies, field notes, praise poems, posters, film clips. Contributions must be based on
original work and have a clear focus on oral history.

If you are interested in making a contribution, please send us a short proposal including:

1. an abstract or description of your contribution (100-300 words)
2. a short biography of yourself and/or your organisation (50-100 words)
3. your contact information (name and surname, affiliation, postal address, email address, phone and fax numbers)

The duration of presentation will not exceed twenty (20) minutes and this will be followed by ten (10) minutes for discussion

Deadline for proposals/abstracts is 12 July 2009

The conference organizing committee will confirm acceptance or rejection of your proposal by 20 July 2009. Complete contributions will need to be submitted by 21 August so as to allow for the compilation of the conference readers.

Send proposal to:
Natalie Jaynes – njaynes@ijr.org.za, or
Nkhumbudzeni Tshirado - Ntshirado@pgwc.gov.za