Oral History as a Method and Source in the Study of Local Communities (Mahalla). Uzbekistan’s Experience
This article reviews the experience of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan and a number of international organizations accredited in the country to conduct oral and historical research in Uzbekistan. According to the author, the experience of oral history in Uzbekistan is insufficient and is developing under the influence of the Russian historical science. This area is developing both in the social and academic aspects. At the same time, a series of challenges in the development of the new method were highlighted, such as fragmentation of research, weak methodological base, and lack of interaction between researchers. The process of institutionalizing the collection and analysis of oral memories based on specific projects and international cooperation is shown in stages. The theoretical courses for the development of oral history as a research method, followed by field and research practice, are described in detail. The article discusses specific methods of field research of local communities (mahalla) and small towns of Uzbekistan. The author notes specific challenges of conducting oral historical research, like official discourse in the memoirs of veterans, compliance with ethics in respect of researcher and respondent, language problems and others.