Oral History and Memory: Voices Across Time
Single subject — no qualification is awarded on completion. Credits toward the qualifications listed below.
This subject is FEE-HELP eligible, so eligible students can defer the $2,245 fee as a government loan and pay nothing upfront.
Fees and funding are indicative only. Confirm your eligibility and final costs with the provider.
About this subject
This unit examines the role of oral tradition and collective memory in shaping historical understanding from antiquity to the present day. Students will explore how societies have preserved, transmitted, and contested historical knowledge through spoken narratives, investigating both the potentials and limitations of oral sources in historical reconstruction. The unit begins with the oral traditions of First Nations cultures before examining how oral traditions functioned in ancient societies from Mesopotamia and Egypt to Classical Greece and Rome. We trace the evolution of oral culture alongside written records in the medieval and early modern world, exploring the ways in which communities maintained historical consciousness through storytelling, folklore, religion and ritual. We address the emergence of modern oral history as a disciplinary method in the twentieth century, looking at pioneering work in documenting lived experiences of ordinary people, marginalised communities, and significant historical events. These histories from below allow us to reflect on social history across longer time periods and diverse geographical contexts. Contemporary themes include the digitisation of oral history archives, ethical considerations in conducting interviews, and the relationship between individual memory and collective historical narratives.
Oral History and Memory: Voices Across Time is a standalone subject at Macquarie University in NSW. Completing it does not award a qualification. Credit may apply toward the qualifications listed on this page.
No qualification credit mapping has been indexed for this subject yet. The provider may still grant credit toward a related award — confirm with Macquarie University before enrolling.
Macquarie University is the awarding provider. Recorded study modes are Online. Typical duration is listed as 13 weeks. The subject is listed at 25 credit points. Eligible students may defer fees through FEE-HELP.
Details on this page are compiled from the provider's published subject information and government registers. Fees, intakes and credit rules can change — confirm current details with Macquarie University before enrolling.
Listing facts
- Type
- Single subject
- National code
- MAQ-BHIX2001
- Field of education
- Information technology
- Provider
- Macquarie University
- Credit points
- 25
- Study mode
- Online
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Qualifications listed
- 0
- FEE-HELP
- Eligible
Prerequisites
Prior study required