Oral History Off the Record has won the Oral History Association’s 2014 Book Award

I am delighted to announce that affiliate Assistant Professor Stacey Zembrzycki has just received some excellent news. The book that she and former Concordia post-doctoral student Anna Sheftel co-edited, Oral History Off the Record has won the Oral History Association’s 2014 Book Award. Stacey believes this the first time this highly competitive award has been given to an edited collection.

This is the text of the committee's recommendation for their award:

"This strong collection of essays advances the practice of oral history through its examination of the interview process, and interviewer “mistakes” and struggles, in a variety of settings. The editors have assembled an impressive group of interdisciplinary scholars, both experienced practitioners and relative newcomers to the field, and charged them to critically reflect on their interviewing methods and efforts to build relationships with narrators. These thoughtful essays, introduced by four different oral historians, are grouped in sections about listening, encounters, ethics and politics, and silences. As a result of the editors’ keen sense for showcasing the complexities of interviewing, which often appear “off the record,” and their collaborative and thoughtful approach, this book will likely remain a useful guide to the field of oral history for many years to come."

Nora E. Jaffary
Associate Professor and Chair