Symposium: Issues in RTVF (398-0-24)
Topic
Bearing Witness
Instructors
David Paul Chavannes
Meeting Info
Frances Searle 1111 SoundTank: Tues 10:00AM - 12:50PM
Overview of class
In this graduate seminar, emerging audiovisual practitioners learn to approach oral history as a practice of bearing witness to another person's life testimony. There is rich historical knowledge in the stories that our loved ones carry with them; this course teaches you to ask for that knowledge in a way that honors your loved one, discern and articulate the broader significance of that knowledge, and propose an audiovisual project that responds to that knowledge. You will leave this course knowing how to formulate historical inquiries for future work, how to plan and execute oral history interviews, and how to think more critically about the past and its relationship to the present.
Registration Requirements
To enroll in this course, students must email the instructor (davidch@northwestern.edu) to request a permission number. In their email, students should explain how this course aligns with their broader educational and professional goals.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Formulate a historical inquiry
- Formulate generative oral history interview questions
- Manage an oral history interview using the skills of close listening and reflection
- Accurately contextualize oral history data
Teaching Method
In-class discussion, weekly worksheets, in-class quizzes
Class Materials (Required)
To participate fully in this course, students will need:
- A device to record oral historical interviews (e.g., a field recorder)
- A computing device to access Canvas for weekly study materials
Class Notes
All documents and recordings for weekly study will be available via Canvas.
Class Attributes
SDG Reduced Inequality