Oral History, an Overview

Stories about places and people are intrinsic to CGLHS. Does your landscape contain stories? Does your family, your friend, your neighbor have fascinating stories you would like to capture? In this talk, oral historian Shanna Farrell will discuss her work with UC Berkeley’s Oral History Center, including what makes oral history unique, best practices, genres of oral history projects, and uses of oral history.

About our speaker

Shanna Farrell is an interviewer with UC Berkeley’s Oral History Center. She specializes in environmental history, food and beverage culture, arts and culture, and community and identity. She leads the OHC’s educational initiatives and serves on the Oral History Association’s council and the editorial review board for The Oral History Review. Farrell is the author of two books, A Good Drink: In Pursuit of Sustainable Spirits and Bay Area Cocktails: A History of Culture, Community and Craft, and produces the OHC's podcast, The Berkeley Remix. She holds an MA in Oral History from Columbia University and an Interdisciplinary MA from New York University.