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Introduction and Acknowledgement
Yang Xiangyin
Oral history is a method of collecting and preserving spoken memories and personal comments of historical information through recorded interviews with participants in past events and ways of life. "It was established in 1948 as a modern technique for historical documentation when Columbia University Historian Allan Nevins began recording the memories of personal significant in American life".
Oral history as a new method of collecting historical information, which has a many of unique functions. Some historians, anthropologists, folklorists, community workers, librarians, sociologists and journalists all use it. Indeed, oral history alter the traditional conception of the history research. It has received enormous achievements in western countries, for example: United States, England, Canada, Australia, New Zealand. They established many associations and organizations to do oral history.
I am a beginner in the oral history field. The American History Journal made me know and understand oral history. Then I consult with some oral historians in the world by Internet. I received extraordinary assistance from Donald A. Ritchie, Ronald J.Grele, Barry Lanman, Ann Lage, Sherna Gluck,David Dunaway, Robert Perks, Willa Baum, Cherly Oakes,Michael Gordon, Michael Frisch, Rebecca Sharpless,Marjorie Mclellan, Rob Perks,Linda Shopes, Howard L.Green,Yang Liwen and Yang Yanbin in oral history theory and practice. So I am very grateful to their help.
I especially want to thank our department director-Professor Liu Debin who is a famous scholars in the American History and International Relation fields, and Doctor Zhang Naihe who majors in medieval history. They encourage me to do oral history in our department, also helps me resolve some difficulties. My classmates Liu Hongyu, Jiang Nin, An Ye, Yang Tingting, Jiang Jiang, Ao Penghui, Wu Nin, Shi Hongfang, Zhang Haixin, Zhou Yi, YU Ting, Liu Weiwei,Cao Jingjing, Yuan Yuan are all interested in oral history. So I established an oral history class as a new education way. They all support and help my work in oral history by different ways.
In a sense, oral history's rise can attribute to the technology development. Especially is the emergence of Internet. People can communicate and get information by the Internet. Moreover, Oral history is a new science in China. Few people know it. Indeed, Many history workers and students lack the basic knowledge of oral history. "Is there oral history in China"? This question let me muse. So I feel it is very important and significative to establish this Home Page, which can expand the exchange in the oral history field. I wish recommend Chinese oral history to other countries and regions. Also offer an opportunity to know foreign oral history for Chinese who are interested in it.
Of Course, there must be some questions in this web. Please contact me , if anyone has some queries.
Page maintained by:Yang Xiangyin
Last updated:November,1,1999