advanced oral history summer institute: berkeley

[RPits]

anyone ever attended? is it worth applying (in your opinion)?

thanks

[borderlands]

I have not attended this particular "summer institute" but I would be worried about paying $900 or any other exuberant fee. It's hosted at UC Berkeley but beware of programs who profit heavily for 2-3 hour "star professor x" presentations, which is not uncommon.

Particularly this from the 2006 summer institute "A daily schedule and reader are provided, with time allocated for practice with equipment, touring, fun. One evening is devoted to an oral history of California food and wine, including a wine tasting." This sounds more like a tourist activity to me.

Also you have to worry about where you are going to stay unless you have a friend in Berkeley. Add food and hospitality that's at least another $600 + flight = too much unless you have two extra grand at hand.

If you want to learn about oral history go to a real conference or ask an oral history professor.

[StrangeLight]

my department provides summer fellowships of $3000 to pay for these sorts of summer programs, so if your department does the same, funding won't be a factor. but this program in particular doesn't sound all that rigorous.