Experts’ Answers to Oral History Questions

100 Questions/ 8

Translated by Mandana Karimi

2025-12-12

 We asked several researchers and activists in the field of oral history to express their views on oral history questions. The names of each participant are listed at the beginning of their answers, and the text of all answers will be published on this portal by the end of the week. The goal of this project is to open new doors to an issue and promote scientific discussions in the field of oral history.

In this project, a question is asked every Saturday, and we ask experts to present their views in the form of a short text (about 100 words) by the end of the week. All answers will be published together so that the audience can compare and analyze the views.

The content is the opinions of the senders and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Oral History website. Although the answers are supposed to be based on about 100 words, in order to be polite and not to leave the discussion incomplete, in some cases, answers longer than this are also accepted.

This time, we asked experts to submit their answers by Sunday night so that all answers can be published on Tuesday.

Question 8:

What is the role of pre-interview in the process of oral history?

Hassan Beheshtipour

10 key points for the pre-interview, in order of importance:

1. Establishing a relationship of trust and reducing the narrator's anxiety

2. Assessing the narrator's ability, mental and physical readiness, and ability to be interviewed

3. Recognizing the narrator's sensitivities, red lines, and limitations

4. Identifying and evaluating the content generalities of the memories and the blind spots of the narrative

5. Determining the main lines and coherent framework of the main interview

6. Becoming familiar with the narrator's personal characteristics and speaking style

7. Reminding the narrator of important points in order to prepare them for the main conversation

8. Obtaining informed consent and explaining the rights and expectations of the project to the narrator

9. Increasing the motivation to participate and believe in the importance of the narrator's personal narrative

10. Planning to adjust the technical conditions of the main session

Each of these has headings for additional explanations, which are We will ignore the limited nature of the answers

Mohammad Mehdi Behdarvand

The pre-interview in oral history is a crucial stage that shapes the quality of the entire process. In this initial meeting, the researcher, by establishing trust, assesses the narrator’s ability and readiness and determines the scope and subject of the narrative. Also, the main topics, sensitive points and information gaps are identified in order to design the structure of the main interview more precisely. At this stage, the time, place, recording method and the way of conducting the conversation are also coordinated. The pre-interview ensures that the main interview is conducted coherently, purposefully and without dispersion and, as a bridge between planning and execution, ensures the credibility and depth of the narrative.

Mohammad Mehdi Abdollahzadeh

When deciding to begin an interview, the oral history interviewer must first familiarize themselves with the subject of the interview and the interviewee as much as possible using available documents, evidence, and data. Then, it is necessary to arrange a pre-interview meeting with them. This meeting is important in many ways and affects the process and success of the interview. During this meeting, the interviewee should be informed of the objectives, importance, main questions, interview method, and the supporting institution of the project in order to gain more trust and motivation. This familiarity also provides the opportunity to revise the questions and provide a suitable location for the interview.

Gholamreza Khakestari

The pre-interview is one of the most important stages in oral history and is important in several ways. In this stage, the interviewee is introduced to the purpose and importance of the work, how to conduct the interview, its framework, and the topics discussed, and a more accurate understanding of the overall trajectory of the interview is obtained. Also, at this time, the interviewer gains a relative understanding of the interviewee's level of awareness of the topics in question, their character and interests, and mutual trust is formed. In addition, the boundaries and expectations, rules, and necessary forms such as a biography and a memorandum of understanding are completed in the pre-interview, which is part of the oral history process.

Abolfazl Hassanabadi

For any research, preliminary study and examination of existing documents are essential to better understand the subject, understand the dimensions of the work, and design a preliminary plan. In oral history, the pre-interview also plays the same role, with the difference that the main source of information is a living person, and it allows for constructive interaction and a deeper understanding of their life. A careful pre-interview makes it possible to initially assess the informative value of the narrative, design questions tailored to the needs of the project and the desires of the narrator, and set the overall framework for the work. Sometimes a good pre-interview is conducted in several sessions and can determine more than half of the final success of the interview.

Shafighe Niknafs

Conducting an oral history interview requires establishing familiarity and rapport between the interviewer and the interviewee so that an atmosphere of trust is formed and the interviewee considers the interviewer confidential and recounts their memories. The pre-interview is an opportunity for this familiarity and mutual assessment, and is also an exploratory session for the interviewer to collect personal information about the narrator, a list of names, dates, and topics of the interview, and to gain an overall picture of the course of the conversation. Providing documents and documentation by the interviewee helps to further understand, and in this session, the interviewer explains the general outline of the program, the method of conducting the interview, and its legal aspects.

Abolfath Momen

The oral historian is required to hold a pre-interview meeting with the narrator before the main interview begins. In this meeting, the interviewer introduces themselves and their colleagues, clarifies the topic and objectives of the interview, and obtains basic information about the subject. The time, place, and length of the meeting, the method of recording (audio or video), the preparation of documents, the scope of the main questions, legal aspects, the method of archiving and publishing the interview, and the narrator’s possible recommendations are also determined. The pre-interview is an opportunity to gain the narrator’s trust and agreement, address concerns, and provide a suitable context that contributes to the quality and richness of the main interview.

Seyyed Vali Hashemi

The pre-interview is as important in oral history as the main interview, and ignoring it may prevent the interview from happening. This stage is essential for getting to know the narrator and preparing the ground for the conversation. The pre-interview has two main elements: discovery and identification. In the discovery stage, the interviewer becomes familiar with the narrator's spiritual, psychological, and moral characteristics, free time, place of residence, age, and physical condition, and ensures that the narrator is the person in question. In the identification stage, the time, place, and conditions of the meeting are determined. Adherence to two stages guarantees the quality and richness of the main interview.

Gholamreza Azizi

If we divide an oral history project into three stages: pre-interview, interview, and post-interview, the steps of the pre-interview stage include determining the topic, developing a plan, securing funding, selecting collaborators, identifying relevant documents, reviewing the context and time, identifying potential subjects and gaining their consent for the interview, and holding a preliminary meeting with the interviewees. The pre-interview plays an important role in structuring the project, estimating requirements, creating consistency and balance, preventing rework and unfinished work, and ultimately accurately justifying the interviewees, and it lays the groundwork for the success of the main interviews.

Hamid Ghazvini

The purpose of the pre-interview or the conversation before the interview is to coordinate with the interviewee and obtain basic information about them and the issues related to the interview. This stage allows for familiarization and communication between the interviewer and the interviewee and to achieve a mutual understanding, which facilitates the interview process. Also, designing more precise questions, determining the thematic framework of the interview, becoming familiar with the locution and tone of the narrator, and understanding their mental and intellectual system are other benefits of the pre-interview. In this meeting, the interviewee expresses their recommendations and priorities, and the appointments, mechanisms, and agreements related to the interview are determined.

Mohammad Mohsen Mashafi

The pre-interview session can be considered an opportunity to justify and coordinate with the narrator about the conditions, process, and content of the main interviews. Given the difference between oral history interviews and conventional press interviews, it is necessary for the narrator to be familiar with the method, specifications, and quality of this type of interview and to prepare for it. Gaining the narrator's trust and confidence, which is the most important element of an oral history interview, is established in this session. Also, reviewing the main headlines of the events helps both to recall memories and to limit and clarify the narrative path.