Feminist Pedagogies and Histories of Choice: Using Student-Led Oral Histories to Engage Reproductive Rights

Abstract

This chapter explores how engaging feminist pedagogies in a faculty-led, student-driven oral history project can advance social justice learning. Using the case study of Histories of Choice, in which undergraduates interview women and men about their experiences with abortion pre- and post-Roe v. Wade, the authors argue that the application of feminist pedagogies to oral history disrupts conventional interviewer–narrator hierarchies and creates opportunities for developing critical historical thinking and research skills among students. The chapter details the pedagogical and methodological choices that structure each stage of the project, including the recruitment and training of students; locating and interviewing narrators; and transcribing, analyzing, and archiving data. The chapter shows how participation in Histories of Choice pushes students to develop a rich, visceral understanding of reproductive rights history and its relevance for future generations and empowers students to uncover the radical potential of oral history.