The Oral History Analysis of 1947 Partition Survivors and Their Changes in Identity

Abstract

The 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan sent shock waves throughout many communities on both sides of the newly established borders between India and Pakistan. It caused mass waves of migration and violence with many people fleeing their homes in fear. Transcripts and summaries archived by the 1947 Partition Archive in Berkeley, CA have given us a better picture of what people were feeling and experiencing during this tumultuous time. The organization and preservation of these accounts are important, so that we may see and understand how people were both positively and negatively affected by partition. A selection of 17 oral histories were selected to give us the widest range of experiences and beliefs as possible. Using coding methods to find both common patterns and unique experiences from each oral history, we can then analyze themes of well-being, independence and freedom, feelings surrounding partition, and identity in order to understand how they had an impact on each other.