THE ORAL HISTORY

In order to somehow contribute to sensitizing the issue of using oral history in illuminating the historical past, this university book is prepared not only for students of history, but also for students in other areas, which use oral history for scientific researches and researchers. The book Oral History will serve to all researchers who are interested in collecting historical data through the methods and forms that this discipline applies to its scientific methodology. Oral history, as a new field of study, is aimed at filling in written sources using the comparative method between them and achieving as real as possible in dealing with events. This text has another reason to apply in our Balkan environments because the knowledge of archiving and preserving written resources was not at a high level, and oral history complements this gap. This scientific discipline is very functional and in particular it complements the written sources of contemporary history and also other events that different witnesses have experienced or have knowledge of them by providing material for journalists, publicists, chroniclers, or scholars of approximate fields. We hope that the use of this book will contribute to making the process of oral history learning more interesting and interactive, both for students and professors. The book, through the research of personal stories and different trends that existed in political, cultural, economic, social and everyday life, will help to deepen knowledge and develop skills, not only to professors but also to students. The book has a total of 246 pages; publisher is University of Prishtina, 2018. ISBN 978-9951-00-215-8

 

 

 

The reviewers' opinions on this book can be read in the following:

 

New development in the advancement and learning of history science in the Western world have raised the need for textbooks that deal with special areas of untreated history so far. In line with these trends, the Faculty of Philosophy - Department of History in the curriculum has brought program innovations that have incorporated untreated subjects so far. In this context, the book "The Oral History" of the author Prof. asoc. dr. Bujar Dugolli undoubtedly has a novelty and assistance for students not only in the field of history but also professionals in archival, museology, genealogy and other social sciences.

Based on these criteria, the author Prof. asoc. dr. Bujar Dugolli has divided the book into 13 chapters that correspond to the course syllabus foreseen to elaborate within an academic semester. Following the methodological principle, the book contains the preface and the entry where initial information are made regarding the content and importance of oral history as a new discipline in the history sciences.

The following text deals with topics related to the terminology, meaning and methods of oral history by elaborating in detail each of these contents.

The following chapters, following the chronological order, give us not only a description of the historical development of this discipline by highlighting the importance of values and application in historical studies but also oral history relationships with other archival material as well as other disciplines that complement this discipline. In addition to the theoretical side, the book analyzes and offers the possibility of practical application of this research method by preparing students for activity in the field of oral data collection. In the book special attention is paid to the method of collecting oral data through the method of interviews, internet usage, other media forms as well as transcribing and incorporating them into the topic. The author, analyzing with the critical sense, emphasizes that attention should be paid to the reliability of oral data by comparing and supplementing with the written ones. Continuing with the practical application of the data, the author in the following chapters also addresses the method of systemizing, storage or archiving of the collected material as well as its use and publication.

From the level of the general treatment of oral history, the author has divided a separate chapter, respectively the last chapter of XIII in a row dealing with the thematic of oral history in Kosovo, emphasizing the importance of this discipline for archiving the events of the recent war in Kosovo, based on the fact that a large number of protagonists of these events present significant potential for oral history in the service of illuminating the tragic events of the war in Kosovo. The book finally complies with the methodological criteria and provides an appendix where there is a practical guide to the way of interviewing family history, another interview guide on toponyms of settlements and a research project for victims of crime in Kosovo over the years 1998-1999. The book also ultimately presents the table of literature which is largely of foreign origin and summary thoughts in the form of completion.

Based on the stated considerations as well as respecting the professional and academic integrity of the author and the content set forth in the book, we are convinced that this book meets the criteria of the university textbook and will be in the function of advancing new research methods that will help students deepen and expand their knowledge and will fill in the vacuum for such texts in Albanian.

Prof. Dr. Muhamet Mala

Prof. Dr. Jusuf Osmani

 

 

 

Publications

  • THE ORAL HISTORY

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