Oral History and Ethnographic Research Methods

Oral history and ethnographic research are important ways of recording the past that provide powerful complements to conventional written history. While the written record often privileges elite viewpoints, oral history and ethnographic research have the potential to document the voices of ordinary people and highlight the dynamics of everyday life. This course will explore the practice, politics, and ethics of oral history and ethnographic research.

The objective of this capstone experience course for history majors is to provide students with a theoretical and practical foundation for oral history and ethnographic research. Through assigned projects, students will gain first-hand experience applying qualitative research methods in the unique postcolonial British/Chinese/global context of Hong Kong. Students who complete the course will learn the skills required to conceptualize, conduct, and analyze oral history interviews and ethnographic research for independent research projects.