Upcoming Events
March 2025
15marAll DayTeaching Oral History: Training the trainersAdvanced workshop
Event Details
Advanced workshop Are you an experienced oral historian in Australia, New Zealand or Southeast Asia who would like to learn how to teach oral history in community, academic or professional contexts?
Event Details
Advanced workshop
Are you an experienced oral historian in Australia, New Zealand or Southeast Asia who would like to learn how to teach oral history in community, academic or professional contexts? This OHV online Advanced Workshop by two of Australia’s most experienced oral history trainers will consider: issues in interactive teaching and learning; approaches to teaching online and face to face; the aims and varieties of oral history; teaching interviewing; teaching the documentation of interviews; and teaching oral history relationships and ethics (the course will not focus on teaching interpretation of interviews).
Participants in this advanced workshop must have extensive oral history experience. Victorian participants who successfully complete this course, and who then shadow the teaching of at least one other OHV training course, will be eligible to teach OHV training courses. Participants from other states and countries will be equipped to teach oral history beginner courses.
PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK ON THIS COURSE IN 2019 AND 2023:
“Incredibly useful workshop. Enjoyed the day immensely! Terrific facilitators, wonderful cohort.”
“Great session – really made it seem very possible to run a training session with oral history beginners. Got some great tips on group management and facilitation which will be really helpful.”
“Truly honest, open, constructive, value-adding workshop.”
“Appreciated how watchful Al and Sarah were of timing and content. A great range of activities that facilitated learning and understanding.”
TRAINER PROFILES
Sarah Rood is a professional consulting historian who has been working in the field for more than 20 years. She has seen the uses and applications of oral history change drastically. Motivated by a desire to help communicate the past and to help connect individuals and communities with history and identity Sarah has recorded countless oral history interviews. Firmly believing that everyone has a story to tell, Sarah aims to work with people to record their stories in a way that both documents their experiences and ensures that (with permission) it can be accessed by others in the future. The interplay between the tangible and the intangible and how this plays out in oral history is a constant source of intrigue for Sarah. In recent years Sarah’s focus has also turned to the way story gathering and storytelling can be applied to drive change. Contact: sjrood@waybackwhen.com.au
Alistair Thomson, Emeritus Professor of History and national award-winning teacher, taught his first oral history workshop in 1985 at the Wangaratta Centre for Continuing Education and has been teaching oral history in both community and academic settings ever since. Al is immediate past President of Oral History Australia. His oral history books include: Anzac Memories: Living with the Legend (1994), The Oral History Reader (2016), Ten Pound Poms: Australia’s Invisible Migrants (2005), Moving Stories: an intimate history of four women across two countries(2011), Oral History and Photography (2011), Australian Lives: An Intimate History (2017) and Fathering: An Australian History (2025). Al is currently co-editing The Bloomsbury Oral History Handbook. Contact: Alistair.Thomson@monash.edu
NOTE: Tickets are made first available to Oral History Victoria members, before being made available to non-members from the 5th of February. To become an OHV member visit https://oralhistoryvictoria.org.au/membership/
BOOKINGS: https://events.humanitix.com/ohv-advanced-workshop-teaching-oral-history-training-the-trainers
Time
15 March 2025 All Day(GMT+11:00)
Organizer
May 2025
02mayAll DayGraduate Oral History Intensive (May 2025)OHV 4-day program
Event Details
Four-day online course, 2-3 May and 16-17 May 2025, offered by Oral History Victoria. Taught by Carla Pascoe Leahy, Sarah Rood and Alistair Thomson (for trainer profiles – see
Event Details
Four-day online course, 2-3 May and 16-17 May 2025, offered by Oral History Victoria.
Taught by Carla Pascoe Leahy, Sarah Rood and Alistair Thomson (for trainer profiles – see https://events.humanitix.com/ohv-training-graduate-oral-history-intensive)
Are you a PhD, Masters or Honours student, or a post-doc, about to start a research project using oral history – and need training to get you on the right track? Perhaps you’ve
already started a graduate oral history project and want advice and support? You may be a historian, or you work in another social science or humanities discipline that uses life story interviews. This four-day, online training course could be just what you need.
In May 2025, three of Australia’s leading oral historians, in partnership with Oral History Victoria, are teaching this popular oral history intensive course aimed at university
research students. We will teach you how to plan an oral history project and apply for ethics approval. You’ll learn how to create excellent interviews and document the
recordings for use in research. We’ll explore approaches to analysing interviews and interpreting memories. And we’ll consider how to write a thesis using oral history and to
create other types of oral history productions.
You will be active participants in the teaching and learning: reading a selection of key texts, bringing examples and issues from you own research, workshopping issues with the group, conducting practice interviews, discussing interview extracts from each participant, and developing a peer support group of graduate oral history researchers from around Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia.
Each day school will be taught online via Zoom, from 9.30am-4pm Australian Eastern Standard time. The course will be limited to 18 participants.
Feedback from participants in this course in 2024:
“Many thanks for a terrific 4 days from the three of you from OHV … so valuable in redirecting and redrafting my research project. Initially I had doubts about the full value of a
4 day zoom meet with 14 or 17 post grads, but it exceeded all expectations.”
“It was terrific to have access to such skilled teachers/facilitators and to come together with other graduate students and to receive such a vast array of helpful resources.”
“I was very happy with the course – expert presenters who were very respectful of/responsive to the participants, great management with everything running on time, different formats to maintain interest, relevant/engaging activities especially listening to everyone’s interview extracts.”
“Al, Carla and Sarah, you made such a warm and welcoming environment! You were all engaging, and passionate and held space for everyone’s opinions and thoughts. Thank you!”
Course outline
Day 1 Friday 2 May – Planning Your Oral History Project & Seeking Ethics Approval
Day 2 Saturday 3 May – Creating & Documenting Oral History Interviews
(fortnight break while participants conduct practice interviews)
Day 3 Friday 16 May – Interpreting Oral Histories
Day 4 Saturday 17 May – Making (Oral) Histories in Writing and other Media
Course fees:
$500 for Oral History Victoria and Oral History Australia members
$750 non-members
We anticipate participants will draw on funds from their own or departmental graduate research budgets. For students without access to research funds, bursaries might be
available from state and territory oral history associations.
Registration via https://events.humanitix.com/ohv-training-graduate-oral-history-intensive
Contact: for further information and to discuss the course, please contact: Alistair.Thomson@monash.edu
Time
2 May 2025 All Day(GMT+11:00)
Organizer
24mayAll DayOHT Oral history workshopGlenorchy
Event Details
Oral History Tasmania will hold an oral history workshop on Saturday 24 May 2025, from 10.00 am to 4.45 pm at Room 2, Glenorchy Library, 4 Terry St. The workshop will
Event Details
Oral History Tasmania will hold an oral history workshop on Saturday 24 May 2025, from 10.00 am to 4.45 pm at Room 2, Glenorchy Library, 4 Terry St.
The workshop will be conducted by Jill Cassidy of Oral History Tasmania and will cover all aspects of oral history practice. Topics include: interview technique, possible pitfalls, use of digital recorder, ethics, transcription & publication. Participants will be able to listen to interview excerpts and do practice interviews. Oral History Tasmania’s digital recorder, available for members to hire, will be demonstrated. Numbers are strictly limited and prior registration is essential. Registration will open early in 2025
Please bring a means of recording if possible and a notepad and pen. The recording device could be a phone or tablet.
Time
24 May 2025 All Day(GMT+11:00)
Location
Glenorchy Library
4 Terry Street
Organizer
June 2025
06junAll Day07OHS annual conference 2025Whose Voices?
Event Details
The Oral History Society, United Kingdom, in partnership with the Scottish Oral History Centre, will hold its 2025 annual conference at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow on 6-7 June 2025. The
Event Details
The Oral History Society, United Kingdom, in partnership with the Scottish Oral History Centre, will hold its 2025 annual conference at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow on 6-7 June 2025.
The theme is ‘Whose Voices?‘.
The conference will feature a keynote address by Prof Lynn Abrams and plenary discussions on:
- Whose Voices – views from across the generations in oral history
- Whose Voices are we collecting now? Challenges, opportunities and silences.
To access the Call for Papers (deadline extended to 23 January 2025) and further information about the conference go to: https://www.ohs.org.uk/conferences/.
Time
6 June 2025 - 7 June 2025 (All Day)(GMT+00:00)
Location
University of Strathclyde
Organizer
30junAll Day03jul2025 AHA Conference
Event Details
The AHA Executive has advised the next annual AHA Conference will be held in Townsville from Monday 30 June to Thursday 3 July 2025. Please save the dates. The AHA 2025
Event Details
The AHA Executive has advised the next annual AHA Conference will be held in Townsville from Monday 30 June to Thursday 3 July 2025. Please save the dates.
The AHA 2025 annual conference will chaired by Ben Jones (CQU) and Koen Stapelbroek (JCU).
Time
30 June 2025 - 3 July 2025 (All Day)(GMT+10:00)
July 2025
30junAll Day03jul2025 AHA Conference
Event Details
The AHA Executive has advised the next annual AHA Conference will be held in Townsville from Monday 30 June to Thursday 3 July 2025. Please save the dates. The AHA 2025
Event Details
The AHA Executive has advised the next annual AHA Conference will be held in Townsville from Monday 30 June to Thursday 3 July 2025. Please save the dates.
The AHA 2025 annual conference will chaired by Ben Jones (CQU) and Koen Stapelbroek (JCU).
Time
30 June 2025 - 3 July 2025 (All Day)(GMT+10:00)
September 2025
16sepAll Day19IOHA Conference 2025Re-Thinking Oral History
Event Details
The 23rd International Oral History Association (IOHA) Conference is scheduled for Kraków, Poland from 16-19 September 2025. The theme of the conference is Re-Thinking Oral History. Biennial conferences of the International Oral
Event Details
The 23rd International Oral History Association (IOHA) Conference is scheduled for Kraków, Poland from 16-19 September 2025.
The theme of the conference is Re-Thinking Oral History.
Biennial conferences of the International Oral History Association (IOHA) allow for reviewing the global conditions and problems of oral history, regardless of the actual conference theme. This time, however, the organizers of the 23rd IOHA Conference call on oral historians worldwide to consciously rethink the idea and practice of their discipline.
Oral history today faces both old and new challenges with long-lasting and unpredictable consequences: the crisis of liberal democracy, growing tensions in international politics, climate change with its devastating outcomes on human life, increasing inequalities, wars, and mass migrations. All of the foregoing not only affect the conditions in which oral history is made, but also compels us to rethink its very aim. For Central and Eastern Europe, the full-scale Russian aggression in Ukraine beginning in February 2022 and its consequences are an especially painful reminder of that. Though oral history was, and still is a part of history, it has always been conscious of the responsibility (oral) history has for the current society. Aware of that mission, we encourage the global oral history community to return to the core questions of our practice: what kind of histories should we tell and pass on to the current and future generation
Find out more about the conference at: https://ioha2025.conference.pl/.
See the Call for Papers – https://ioha2025.conference.pl/en/call-for-papers. The deadline for proposal submissions was 31 August 2024.
Time
16 September 2025 - 19 September 2025 (All Day)(GMT+01:00)
Location
Kraków
Past Events
October 2024
26oct10:00 am2:30 amOHT seminar
Event Details
This Oral History Tasmania seminar features three speakers: Garry Wakefield, Queer Life Stories Emma Hill, Verbatim Theatre: Everyone has a story to tell Jennifer Jerome, Community Archives and Oral History Garry is the
Event Details
This Oral History Tasmania seminar features three speakers:
- Garry Wakefield, Queer Life Stories
- Emma Hill, Verbatim Theatre: Everyone has a story to tell
- Jennifer Jerome, Community Archives and Oral History
Garry is the founder and president of North West Pride Inc, and the producer and host of the podcast Queer Life Stories. Queer Life Stories is an LGBTIAQ+ lived experience podcast recording the lives of everyday queer folk in Tasmania. So many queer stories are hidden or lost over time; this podcast is an attempt to preserve and share these stories for the community to hear the lessons and lives of these amazing people who often struggle with adversity and societal stigma.
A drama teacher of sixteen years, Emma has run several Verbatim Theatre projects in school curriculum to produce live theatre based on oral histories. Emma will speak to her methodology of capturing stories and guiding students from page to stage. Verbatim Theatre is a vital Theatre style that provides students with important skills whilst honouring voice and people. Emma is the Drama Teacher at Riverside Primary School.
Jennifer is an Archivist with the State Library and Archives, Libraries Tasmania, and oversees the ‘Community Archives’ which includes records/archives created by non-Government entities such as clubs, sporting groups, churches, individuals, families, businesses and not for profit organisations. In her presentation Jen will introduce the Community Archives collection, highlighting oral history elements. She’ll demonstrate how to find the collection online and will explain how the Tasmanian Archive collections are developed, including how members of the community can add their oral history recordings and transcripts to the Archives.
Time
26 October 2024 10:00 am - 2:30 am(GMT+11:00)
Location
Queen Victoria Museum
Inveresk
Organizer
November 2024
21novAll Day242024 OHA Biennial ConferenceThe Power of Oral History—Risks, Rewards & Possibilities
Event Details
Oral History Australia and Oral History Victoria will present the 2024 OHA Biennial Conference in the the historic and culturally-rich city of Naarm/Melbourne. About the conference Our conference theme ‘The Power
Event Details
Oral History Australia and Oral History Victoria will present the 2024 OHA Biennial Conference in the the historic and culturally-rich city of Naarm/Melbourne.
About the conference
Our conference theme ‘The Power of Oral History—Risks, Rewards & Possibilities’ taps into the many powerful features of oral history practice including the potential to evoke powerful emotions, bring forth new voices and engage new audiences through multimedia.
Our conference welcomes participants who use oral history in their work across the many fields and disciplines that contribute to community, professional and academic histories. We welcome presenters from Victoria and around Australia, from across the Tasman and throughout the oral history world, from First Nations and culturally diverse backgrounds. We seek to showcase individual presentations, workshops, performances, roundtables, and thematic panels.
Keynote speaker
Our keynote speakers include the legendary Alessandro Portelli. Over more than 50 years, Alessandro has been one of the most influential oral historians in the world. His keynote is titled ‘Bread and Labor: The Lost and Found Humanity of Giuseppe Di Porto, Auschswitz Survivor. A twice-told tale.’.
Find out more on our conference website – https://oralhistoryaustralia.org.au/biennial-conference-2024/.
Time
21 November 2024 - 24 November 2024 (All Day)(GMT+11:00)
Location
Trinity College, University of Melbourne