CFP Oral History and Fieldwork Helsinki December 2010

Call for Papers

ORAL HISTORY AND FIELDWORK

The (Re)use and Interpretation of Research Materials
Helsinki, 2–3 December 2010

Papers are invited for contributions to the Oral History and Fieldwork – The (Re)use and Interpretation of Research Materials symposium hosted by the Finnish Literature Society in collaboration with the Finnish Oral History Network (FOHN) and The Academy of Finland project Strangers from the East – Narratives of Karelian Exiles and Re-immigrants from Russia Regarding their Integration in Finland 2009-2012 (lead by Dr. Outi Fingerroos).

The event will be the third international symposium organized by the Finnish Oral History Network. We aim to stimulate discussion and bring together scholars interested in fieldwork methodology within oral history research. The symposium will offer a discussion forum for researchers working in the field. The keynote speakers are Molly Andrews (University of East London, United Kingdom) and Selma Leydesdorff (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands). Fieldwork methodology has been discussed in oral history research since the late 1970s when the oral history interview was reconceptualized as a dialogically constructed text. The oral history interview was seen as a dialogical process in which both participants – the interviewee and the interviewer – took part, and the reflection of the research process has become self-evident. Methodological issues initially identified concerned the conduct, processing, and preservation of oral history materials. Subsequently the concept of field has been elaborated and is now used to refer to archived research materials, e.g. oral history interviews, written autobiographies, questionnaires and photographs, and their later use.

In recent years the focus of fieldwork methodology has turned to the secondary analysis of oral history materials, in other words the use and reuse of archived oral history and life-history materials. Methodological, ethical and theoretical issues have to be considered at all stages of research. The research process grows even more demanding when the researcher uses multiple sources and types of research material instead of keeping to one primary research material. Does this only cause problems and flaws as some have suggested? How have researchers tackled methodological and practical challenges related to the reuse of research materials? Can all research materials be reused and for what kind of research purposes?

We welcome scholars working within the field of oral and life history. Proposals may be submitted for individual papers or workshop sessions. The programme will include keynote lectures, paper sessions and a final panel. The principal conference language will be English.

Participants of workshops are invited to send abstracts to the organizers. Workshop paper proposals should include a title and a maximum 250 word abstract. Please send us a single page proposal including the title of the presentation, the abstract and the following information:
- name (with your surname in CAPITAL letters)
- affiliation
- postal address
- e-mail address
- telephone and fax numbers

Proposals will be evaluated according to their focus on the topic. Proposals must be written in English. Please e-mail your proposal as an e-mail attachment by 22 May 2010 to fohn@finlit.fi. The acceptance or rejection of proposals will be announced by 30 June 2010. The deadline for the papers is 30 October 2010.

The admission to the symposium is 35€.

Enquiries: fohn@finlit.fi

Ulla-Maija Peltonen Ulla Savolainen
Chair, FOHN Course Secretary, FOHN
Finnish Literature Society Folklore Studies/
P.O. Box 259 Department of Philosophy, History, Culture and
FIN-00171 Helsinki Art Studies
P.O. Box 4
FIN-00014 University of Helsinki