Oral History Lab: Alexandria’s Quarters

Oral history is a unique research method that relies on recording individuals' experiences and their points of view in life. It is a tool to record history and experiences through "oral" conversations. It relies on encounters to transcribe stories and oral narration from individuals directly, and it helps them choose how to document and exhibit their own stories according to their backgrounds and comprehension. These stories are often subjective and expressive of narrators' views.

The lab mainly aims to record Alexandrian experiences and stories from different quarters reflecting their cultural and historical idiosyncrasy. Students will learn how to design and execute an oral history project from A to Z and how to use different devices to record stories, create an archive of recordings as well as explore various ways of documenting and producing such stories. The lab culminates in an interactive exhibition as well as an oral history manual that will include students' texts.