About

Nowadays, oral history is one of the famous and efficient approaches of historiography. The historical material for this approach is achieved by active interview and then it will be presented to society in different styles and frames. This method of historiography started by recording interviews and then developed. Nowadays some scholars and research centers prefer to record the narrators' face, feelings and behavior in addition to their voice and consequently they are interested in filming techniques.
From its beginning in 1948, this kind of historiography has been the target of sympathetic and defiant opinions. Different societies and communities were formed to fertilize and classify the information in this regard correctly and also exchange different opinions by holding specialized seminars and workshops to help the development and presentation of the idea of oral history.

In this regard, the Iranian Oral History website started its work unofficially from the February of 2008 simultaneously with the 4th Professional Iranian Oral History Seminar and inaugurated officially in February of 2009, simultaneously with the 30th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution of Iran. Persian and English are the basic languages of this website.

Managers and designers of this website are of active people in the field of oral history and are trying to manage this site professionally in related subjects. So, it covers related topics such as: diaries, travelogues, chronologies, and memoirs and so on.

One of the important aims of this website is to create a proper environment for debating different thoughts and opinions in the field of oral history. The other aim of this website is to establish connections with oral history scholars and societies in and out of the country and presenting the latest oral history achievements and information via these links.

This website contemplates to make some not easily accessible published oral history documents, pictures and articles accessible for the viewers from all over the world.
The directors and the staff of this website would be pleased if you refer to the address of this website when using these materials in your works� list of references.

Since oral history is one of the most popular ways of historiography, we are planning to design a virtual training workshop in this website for all the interested people. We hope in this way all the people can play roles in conserving the culture and history of this country.
We are trying hard to minimize our weaknesses and deficiencies and in this regard we need the cooperation and assistance of you all. This website is yours and we want you to share with us in the improvement of it by presenting articles and offering your suggestions.



 

Address: Iranian Oral History Website, Hozeye Honari (Arts Center) Building, 3rd Floor, Hafez-Somayyeh crossrods, Tehran, I.R.Iran, P.O.Box: 18518/1677
 
Tel: +98-21-84172370, +98-21-81918133 (121, 217)
 


 
Book Review

Kak-e Khak

The book “Kak-e Khak” is the narration of Mohammad Reza Ahmadi (Haj Habib), a commander in Kurdistan fronts. It has been published by Sarv-e Sorkh Publications in 500 copies in spring of 1400 (2022) and in 574 pages. Fatemeh Ghanbari has edited the book and the interview was conducted with the cooperation of Hossein Zahmatkesh.

Is oral history the words of people who have not been seen?

Some are of the view that oral history is useful because it is the words of people who have not been seen. It is meant by people who have not been seen, those who have not had any title or position. If we look at oral history from this point of view, it will be objected why the oral memories of famous people such as revolutionary leaders or war commanders are compiled.

Daily Notes of a Mother

Memories of Ashraf-al Sadat Sistani
They bring Javad's body in front of the house. His mother comes forward and says to lay him down and recite Ziarat Warith. His uncle recites Ziarat and then tells take him to the mosque which is in the middle of the street and pray the funeral prayer (Ṣalāt al-Janāzah) so that those who do not know what the funeral prayer is to learn it.

A Critique on Oral history of War Commanders

“Answering Historical Questions and Ambiguities Instead of Individual-Organizational Identification”
“Oral history of Commanders” is reviewed with the assumption that in the field of war historiography, applying this method is narrated in an advancing “new” way, with the aim of war historiography, emphasizing role of commanders in creation of its situations and details.