Perspectives on oral history for historical research

History was oral before the advent of writing. However, it was not until the mid-20th century that oral history emerged as a legitimate methodology for historical research. Since then, it has transformed from a tool to collect information and sources about the past into an interpretative discipline considering memory and sense-making. This chapter traces the history of the oral history genre; discusses definitions; reconstructs the major debates on the process and nature of interviews; and addresses its evolution through modern technologies. It also presents the advantages and challenges of using this source and method for business history research in Western and developing economies. As the main takeaway, oral history is a powerful instrument in the historian’s and social scientist’s toolkit to understand individuals’ subjectivity and contexts. It can offer insights unavailable through traditional written sources and add nuance and granularity to the historical reconstruction. Business historians and social scientists interested in longitudinal work should be aware of the intrinsic biases in this type of source. This chapter offers a practical guide involving a comprehensive approach that integrates interviews with in-depth contextualization through grounding techniques typical of the historical process, such as triangulation, source criticism, and hermeneutics.