Oral History and Contemporary History Charles University

Overview

About the program

The two-year distance Master's study program in Oral History and Contemporary History from Charles University is intended for students interested in contemporary European history, interviewing methodologies, and interpretative methods. Its main aim is to train students to conduct research through creating and analyzing interviews, and developing fieldwork projects to address those historical and contemporary issues that require interdisciplinary investigation.

 The studies focus on the relationship between man and society, and on individual agency in past and present. Oral history, the ideal tool for researching these topics, maps "everyday histories" and memories of the past with a focus on individual aspects of living and experiencing history. The goal of the program is to familiarize its students with oral history methodology and other methods of historical research. Furthermore, it aims to teach its students important knowledge of contemporary historical contexts which frame individual human stories and perspectives.

The program is focused on the study of history and its methodologies; it is also meant to provide its students with overarching knowledge of Czech, Czechoslovak, and world history. The program offers an overview of various methodological approaches – beside the oral history tradition - which it compares and reflects critically. These include, among others: archival research; statistical research (e.g. information of demographic/economic nature, public opinion polls); pop culture research (e.g. films, radio broadcast recordings; etc.); research of media and literature; etc. The program also provides an interdisciplinary view of history from the perspectives of political theory and international relations; political philosophy; economic and social history; or cultural history; and others.