The Oral History Association invites proposals for papers and presentations for its 2004 annual meeting to be held September 29–October 3, 2004, at the Hilton & Executive Tower in Portland, Oregon.

"Telling Stories: narratives of our own times," the conference theme, invokes both the practice of oral history and the unique ability of oral history to capture stories that are especially revealing and meaningful. The present historical moment lends an especial urgency to this call. War in Iraq, the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Seattle protests over the World Trade Organization—the enormity and significance of these events, and many others, urge us to record and interpret the "narratives of our own times," not only the cataclysmic events at the turn of the 21st century, but also the sweep of the 20th century that lies within living memory. While recent events suggest histories of conflict, change and rupture, the practice of oral history offers the possibility of bridging differences, finding commonalities, and tracing continuity. Turning lives into stories can help individuals and communities negotiate wrenching social and economic changes and undermine hierarchies of power and dominance. We are eager for presenters to help set an agenda for the myriad of stories of our times that need to be recorded and suggest new ways of preserving and disseminating them.

Proposals should be sent by January 15, 2004 to:

Madelyn Campbell
Oral History Association
Dickinson College
P.O. Box 1773
Carlisle, PA 17013
Fax 717-245-1046

Proposals are invited from oral history practitioners in a wide variety of disciplines and settings such as scholars, teachers, students, museum professionals, public historians, activists, filmmakers, radio documentarians, photographers, and journalists. While sessions may be organized in the customary panel format, proposals for workshops, poster sessions, media and performance-oriented sessions, off-site sessions, and formats other than conventional conference presentations will also be welcomed.

Details about the annual meeting and requirements for sending proposals can be obtained from http://www.dickinson.edu/oha/.