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Oral History in the Age of Donald Trump

Fri, October 6, 3:15 to 4:45pm, Hilton Minneapolis, Marquette III

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Abstract

On his fourth day in office, the National Journal declared that Donald Trump had “disrupted American politics more dramatically than any president since Theodore Roosevelt.” Oral historians are well-equipped to connect individual stories and experiences with broader patterns in society; they can help to bridge perceived political divides by listening, recording, analyzing, and sharing diverse voices and perspectives. How can oral historians take advantage of this moment to capture “overlooked” voices within their communities? Will Trump’s presidency influence how scholars conduct oral history? Will his presidency inspire unique kinds of oral history projects? These are just a few of the questions that this roundtable will explore.

Using the 2016 election as a backdrop, the historians on this roundtable will discuss projects that seek to shed light on recent political disruptions. David Cline, a professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, will discuss the process of interviewing people who perceive themselves to be under threat—whether real or imagined. Drawing upon interviews conducted for the U.S. Senate oral history project, historian Kate Scott will argue that the “Trump era” really began decades before. Evan Faulkenbury, a professor of history at the State University of New York at Cortland, will detail the launch of a new oral history project in Cortland County, New York—what some might call “Trump Country”—with an intent to connect current political opinions with longer community and family histories. And Troy Reeves, an institutional historian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will discuss an oral history/documentary theater project at the university about the 2016 election. Historian Abigail Perkiss of Kean University will serve as moderator. Panelists will briefly discuss these topics, then engage in a lively discussion with audience members.

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