This workshop will look at in-depth interviewing as a method and its limitations, specificities and difficulties will be discussed. The workshop is designed for researchers who would like to improve their academic skills and introduce specific methods like oral history in their work. The workshop will also provide tips on organise a project, preparing and managing interviews, and the ethics and risks of using the method.

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

• Have an understanding of the main features of qualitative interviewing
• Be familiar with the key skills of interviewing, including body language/tone of voice, asking open questions, probing and active listening
• Be introduced to Oral History as a method
• Be familiar with ethical concerns with the method
• Be given tools for further training and be introduced to commonly used manuals and ethical guidelines.

Workshop plan

Topics to research and include:

• Establishing contacts and consent
• Preparing and organizing a project, interview schedules, post-interview follow-ups
• Ethics and risks
• Transcription, indexing and citing
• Preserving and protecting material
• Oral history in the digital age