Chapter 13: Operationalising Oral History for Social Justice in Accounting

Every personal story is born from a much wider social context. This chapter is inspired by contemporary global movements, such as #BlackLivesMatter, that seek to draw attention to the injustice faced by Black people in everyday society. Beyond spotlighting these injustices, the movements reward the victims of violence with a platform for communicating, in their own intimate expression, the personal impact of the wrongs inflicted upon them. Similarly, in the study of the sociology of accounting, methods such as Oral History provide a catalyst for justice by allowing for the experiences of those marginalised in the accounting profession to share their lived experiences. The opening quote above is shared from the recently published autobiography of one of the first Black CAs to qualify in South Africa. In this short excerpt, the author shares his personal testimony of what achieving an accounting qualification means to him. Bursting with emotion, the author's account reflects, simultaneously, the effusive exhilaration and hope engendered by his achievement and the divided state of South Africa at the time.