Oral histories of the American Studies Center UW 4219-RS291

Knowledge:
K_W01 – the role and significance of the social sciences: sociology, history, ethnography; their subject-specific characteristics and their relations to other disciplines within the humanities and social sciences; the paradigm of interdisciplinarity in urban studies.
K_W05 – theoretical and methodological approaches within the social sciences (sociology, history, ethnography) and their application in students’ own research.
K_W12 – the ethical conditions of conducting social research, including the influence of researchers’ own experiences and views, involvement in the life of the studied community, informing the community about the research, source criticism (of newspapers, respondents, websites), and the principles of copyright protection.
SKILLS:
K_U01 – use acquired knowledge to formulate and innovatively solve complex and atypical research tasks and problems, formulate and test related hypotheses by selecting and applying appropriate sources and information, evaluating them, critically analyzing, synthesizing, and creatively interpreting them in the context of interdisciplinary research on American urban communities.
K_U02 – apply appropriate research methods and tools, as well as adapt existing ones for research needs.
K_U08 – interpret source texts from various periods concerning American urban communities, taking into account their historical, political, and socio-cultural contexts.
K_U09 – communicate in a seminar group and conduct debate.
K_U10 – use English at a level of at least B2+ of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, including specialist terminology.
K_U12 – prepare and deliver presentations using advanced information and communication technologies in English concerning empirical social research of the oral history type, and prepare written work in the format of a social-science scholarly article in English.
K_U13 – propose a topic and prepare one’s own research project within the history of the American Studies Center at the University of Warsaw.
K_U15 – lead the work of a seminar group by proposing questions and facilitating discussion.
COMPETENCES (KOMPETENCJE:
K_K01 – critically assess one’s own knowledge and the information received regarding the conduct of research.
K_K02 – use acquired interdisciplinary knowledge of the history of the American Studies Center at the University of Warsaw to formulate one’s own opinions.
K_K03 – recognize the importance of knowledge in solving cognitive and practical problems and seek expert opinions when encountering difficulties in solving them independently.
K_K06 – conduct social research responsibly and ethically, and require the same from others.

Presentation + leading discussion (20 pts)
Conducting assigned interview (20 pts)
Data analysis (20 pts)
Research paper ~15 pages (40 pts)

Grading Scale:
60–66: 3
67–74: 3+
75–81: 4
82–90: 4+
90+: 5

Required Readings:

Anedda, E. (2023). “I Hope to be Part of South Phoenix History”: Community College Students Becoming Oral Historians.
Leavy, P. (2011). Oral History, ch. 2–4.
Portelli, A. (2018). Living Voices: The Oral History Interview as Dialogue and Experience.
Jessee, E. (2011). The Limits of Oral History.
De Leonardo, M. (1987). Oral History as Ethnographic Encounter.

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

• Description of 4219-RS291 in USOSweb