Ukrainian Oral History Association (UOHA)—which unites, represents, and supports oral history scholars in Ukraine and abroad—is convening the international conference UOHA-2024 “Oral History in Wartime: Academic Knowledge and the Researcher’s Responsibility.” The conference will take place June 13-15, 2024, on the grounds of and with the support of Uzhhorod National University and Zakarpattia Museum of Folk Architecture and Life (Uzhhorod, Ukraine), the Huculak Chair in Ukrainian Culture and Ethnography, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada), and the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory (Kyiv, Ukraine).
With the beginning of the full-scale phase of the Russian war against Ukraine that started on February 24, 2022, many activists, community-based scholars, academics, museum workers, journalists, and archivists, as well as diverse national and international research teams, began actively recording and documenting war-focused personal testimonies and accounts. Many engaged in this demanding work lacked appropriate training or experience in ethically sound interviewing methods. The above challenges and the unprecedented number of teams documenting testimonies of the Russian-Ukrainian war believed to be already the most documented modern war call for an open dialogue on what constitutes sound research and research practices in the oral history of wartime.
The conference is called to address and provide answers to the following questions. What is the difference between the academic standards of oral history and other initiatives that gained popularity with the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine? What challenges of documenting events in the context of an ongoing war do the researchers face in their work? How should one address the questions of safety and adhere to ethical norms during interviewing? What are the personal, legal, and professional responsibilities of researchers pursuing the oral history of the unfolding war? What are the best practices for sharing scholarly accomplishments and academic output of Ukrainian oral historians on the international stage?
Thematic directions of the conference are:
● researcher’s responsibility in the process of preparation, implementation, analysis, and presentation of the results of the oral history project;
● archiving of oral histories—ethically, safely, and responsibly;
● oral history: from an umbrella term to the diversification of research practice;
● oral history and the production of new academic knowledge;
● the researcher as a (co)creator of oral history testimony.
Applications for participation in the conference will be accepted until March 15, 2024. To apply, fill in the Google form: Міжнародна наукова конференція УАУІ-2024 “УСНА ІСТОРІЯ У ВОЄННИЙ ЧАС: НАУКОВЕ ЗНАННЯ І ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНІСТЬ ДОСЛІДНИКА” (13-15 червня 2024 року, Ужгород, Україна) (google.com).
Participants will be selected on a competitive basis. A priority consideration will be given to members of the Ukrainian Oral History Association. Travel within Ukraine, accommodation, and meals will be provided by the conference organizers. Working languages: Ukrainian, English. Based on the results of the conference, a special issue of the “Scientific Bulletin of the Uzhhorod University. Series: History” (category B) is proposed. The requirements for the publications will be sent after the completion of the selection of applications on April 15, 2024.
We are looking forward to receiving your applications!
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us: uoha.official@gmail.com, +380667245423
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Conference organization committee: +380667245423
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