I Want a Life Story not a Life Sentence. Legal, Ethical and Human Rights Issues Related Recording, Transcribing and Archiving Oral History Interviews

Abstract

This paper explores legal, ethical and human rights issues of conducting oral history interviews and focuses on problematic factors related to depositing the resultant audiotapes and transcripts in archives. Methods of protecting those who may be harmed in anyway by the tapes or transcripts being open to public access are identified. The potential ethical and legal consequences for researchers are explored. The interviews were part of an historical research study into the history of Nursing in the two West Yorkshire towns of Halifax and Huddersfield, United Kingdom (UK) between 1870-1960. The two methodological approaches were analysis of the primary and secondary documentary archival sources, and oral history interviewing of a sample of twenty-one retired nurses ranging from 65-97 years old representative of location and career experience to ensure a strategic purposive sample. The resultant audiotapes and transcripts will be stored in the archives of The University of Huddersfield