Five years of digital storytelling

A series of roundtable discussions bringing together researchers, students and community partners continues at Concordia under the auspices of the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling (COHDS).

The next session, on Oral History and New Medias, will take place at 6 p.m. on February 17 in the J. W. McConnell Library Building, 1400 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W. at the COHDS, in Room LB-1042. Present will be university and community-based partners involved in collecting and disseminating oral history interviews.

Over the last five years, over 320 stories of Montrealers who were displaced by war and conflict elsewhere have been collected, archived and used for research papers, films, performances, bus tours and virtual web-based projects.

Concordia’s expertise in oral history and new media has been established since both the COHDS and the Montreal Life Stories Project were founded. COHDS is home to over 100 projects involving graduate and undergraduate students studying history, theatre, film, communications, sociology and the humanities alongside community-based partners, affiliated researchers from elsewhere, and educators. These projects explore the intersections between oral history, new media and the arts.

In addition to collecting stories for research and education purposes, the projects have developed expertise in new media, in interviewing techniques and in the ethical questions involved in collecting and sharing sometimes politically sensitive and emotionally volatile information.

These discussions will continue on a monthly basis between now and May.

Related links:
•  Oral History Seminar Series
•  Department of History