Olwen Purdue - Unveiling the Past: The Power of Public History

In this enlightening conversation, Professor Olwen Purdue (Queen's University Belfast) discusses the significance of public history and the importance of amplifying the voices of ordinary people in Northern Ireland. The dialogue explores the complexities of historical narratives, the role of oral history in understanding everyday life, and the challenges of ensuring representation in public history. Olwen emphasises the need for community engagement and collaboration to sustain historical projects and highlights the relevance of past struggles with poverty and welfare to contemporary society. The conversation concludes with reflections on the resilience of communities through adversity and the importance of preserving local histories.

 

https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/olwen-purdue

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Public History and Personal Narratives
03:02 The Role of Public History in Community Engagement
06:14 Exploring Ordinary Lives: The Importance of Oral History
09:03 Representation and Inclusivity in Historical Narratives
11:58 The Complexity of Northern Irish History
14:52 Community Projects and Sustaining Momentum
17:46 The Value of Local Histories and Heritage
20:59 Challenges in Preserving Community Histories
23:53 Lessons from History: Poverty and Welfare Today
27:14 The Resilience of Communities Through Adversity

 

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