Methodological reflections on the use of memories and oral sources in media-historical research in the Nordic/Baltic region: A case study on cinemagoing in Sweden

In this article, we discuss oral history interviews and memories as a method for media-historical research in the Baltic and Nordic regions from theoretical and practical points of view. We present an overview of relevant theoretical work in film studies (New Cinema History, Oral History, Cultural Memory, Cinema Memory). Further­more, we demonstrate how we have designed and applied oral history in the Swedish Cinema and Everyday Life project: A study of cinema-going in its peak and decline, financed by the Swedish National Research Council, 2019–2022, and reflect on what we have learned from this example. We also disclose how we adjusted the methodology to comply with the social restrictions enforced due to the COVID19 pandemic.