Oral history is a human endeavour.

The memories of past events that narrators share with interviewers allow us to view our history through a different lens.   

Such narratives are deeply personal and often brimming with emotion. Consequently, preserving them over the long term and sharing them with the public can be challenging.

The Ethical Code for Oral History Netherlands supports anyone who creates, preserves, or utilizes oral history interviews.

It offers fifteen guidelines to help make decisions throughout the process of preparing, recording, processing, archiving, and disseminating oral history interviews.

In this way, narrators can trust that their memories will be handled with care and remain accessible to future generations.


Testimonials

“The ethical code provides clarity and ensures we all speak the same ‘language’.”

Eline Pollaert

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam / Stichting Kreukelcollectief – Behoud Gehandicapten Emancipatie

“It is important that the ethical code explicitly focuses on the careful processing and storage of interviews, especially at a time when archives are digitising so rapidly.”

Wim Manuhutu

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

“De ethische code geeft duidelijkheid en zorgt ervoor dat we samen dezelfde ‘taal’ spreken.”

Eline Pollaert

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

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