Call for papers & presentations for 2008 Southwest Oral History Association Annual Meeting

The Southwest Oral History Association invites proposals for papers/presentations at its 2008 annual meeting to be held April 18-20, 2008 in Tempe. Paper topics and sessions may deal with any aspect of oral history work including interviewing, processing, digital and archival collection methods, and use of oral histories in a variety of formats such as publications, exhibits, films, and readers’ theatre. We encourage submissions from the Southwestern states represented in our organization: Arizona, California, Nevada, and New Mexico, as well as those outside the area researching southwestern topics using oral history methodology.

The program committee invites proposals from oral history practitioners in a wide variety of disciplines, settings and communities from academic and community scholars, museums, historical societies, libraries, teachers and independent researchers. We hope for a variety of presentations representing oral history work being conducted through traditional methods, classroom and community programs. We would especially like to see proposals describing long-term and ongoing projects in the Southwest.

• Submission copies: All applicants must submit 5 copies of their proposal.
• Time segments: Generally plan for 90 minute sessions with 5-10 minutes for introductions, 15-20 minutes for each presentation depending on number of participants, and 20-30 minutes for comments and discussion.
• Submission descriptions: Include title and up to one page description of presentation
• Resumes or CVs: Include up to one page.
• Contact Information: Include name, address, affiliation (if any), phones, and e-mail.
• Registration: All participants must register and pay the registration fees. A few scholarships and awards are available. Check the web site at southwestoralhistory.org
• Panel Submissions: Submit a panel title, and titles of the individual papers. We suggest limiting presentations to three people plus the moderator and/or commentator. Panels are usually the more formal academic format. Presenters usually prepare papers and presentations which are submitted to the moderator in advance.
• Roundtable Submissions: Submit a panel title; up to a one page description of the panel discussion, and topics of individual presenters. Roundtables usually include 3-5 presenters, and a moderator/or commentator. A roundtable is a more informal approach, often with discussions going back and forth among the presenters during the presentation.
• Single paper/presentation: Individual papers/presentations may be submitted. The program committee will compose sessions under shared themes for individual papers/presentations.
• Creative Non-traditional proposals: These may involve music, drama or readers’ theatre or other creative means of presenting oral histories.
• Equipment Needs: SOHA will try to accommodate equipment requests.
• Mail five copies to Mary Melcher, Ph.D., Program Chair, 2235 E. Taxidea Way, Phoenix, AZ 85048.
• If you have questions, call Sarah Moorhead, Conference Chair at 480-962-6227.