Tracking the Castleton Massacre: A Study in the Uses and Limitations of Oral Histories

The purpose of this session is to explore how to work with narratives that are nearly 60 years old and which encompass deep trauma and ambivalence about the subject matter. This presentation will address methodological, ethical, and agency issues surrounding the Castleton Massacre that occurred in the rural hamlet of Castleton, Ontario in May 1963. Researchers are interested in uncovering the short- and long-term causes of this tragedy, but as with many cases of domestic abuse, conventional records to trace the roots and trajectory of the story are few and frustratingly limited in their value. Hence, the research design was heavily dependent on the oral histories of the two survivors, their family members, and community members who witnessed the event to uncover the causes of this tragedy.

Speaker

Sharon Anne Cook:is an Emeritus and Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa