Date of Award
8-2005
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Anthropology
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
In this thesis I explored the application of oral history in the collection, preservation and interpretation of American Indian cultural history. Through the analysis of written ethnographies, published works, oral histories and case studies, this research addresses some of the major debates hindering oral history's admittance as a viable ethnographic and historical resource. The overall intention of this research was to elicit the major methodological issues anthropologists face when employing oral history techniques in American Indian studies so that solid, comprehensive strategies can be created and implemented to strengthen the acceptance and practice of oral history in modem cultural studies.
After laying out the historical framework of oral history and its role in the collection and preservation of American Indian cultural history, the thesis explores some of the prominent challenges faced by historians and anthropologists. Topics include the void of American Indian voice in historical research and the lack of methodological standardization in the practice of oral history. It also addresses the three-dimensional complexity of American Indian cultural history, the impact of Native language and dialect in data collection, and the role of cultural affiliation and identity in choice of participants and interviewers.
Recommended Citation
Madoll, Amber, "The Trials and Tribulations of Eliciting American Indian Voice" (2005). Masters Theses. 3867.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/3867