ABSTRACT

By the turn of the twenty-first century, oral history in Latin America enjoyed firm grounding as many nations stabilized their democratic traditions and institutions. At the same time, oral history remains a powerful tool for revealing how subjectivity is both socially constructed and historically contingent. As scholars bring their expertise and methods to bear on questions of inequality and exploitation, some recognize oral history as a methodology that can facilitate healing, justice, and democracy. Through oral history, interviewees can take ownership of their past and lives. In Latin America's postconflict societies, oral history allows survivors to construct their own stories whether they resonate with or challenge discourses of reconciliation that seek to establish a single healing narrative about horrific pasts. Tensions between orality and writing pervade oral history and affect the study of many regions of the world. The criminal justice system, particularly incarceration, is another area ripe for oral history research.