Subaltern Studies
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| - | '''History from below''' is a level of [[historical narrative]] which was developed as a result of the French [[Annales School]] and popularised in the [[1960s]]. This form of [[social history]] focuses on the perspectives of [[ordinary people]] within society as well as individuals and regions that were not previously considered historically important. This includes [[women]] and the [[working class]], as well as regions such as [[India]] or [[Africa]]. | + | The '''Subaltern Studies Group''' (SSG) or '''Subaltern Studies Collective''' are a group of [[South Asian]] scholars interested in the [[postcolonial]] and post-[[empire|imperial]] societies of South Asia in particular and the developing world in general. The term '''Subaltern Studies''' is sometimes also applied more broadly to others who share many of their views. Their approach is one of [[history from below]], focused more on what happens among the masses at the base levels of society than among the elite. |
| - | The book ''[[New Perspectives on Historical Writing]]'', warns that without [[context]], ''history from below'' can become a casual definition of isolated cases [[insignificance|devoid of any real significance]]. Sharpe argues that this form of historical scholarship needs to be concretely linked to its place in history (e.g. its antecedents, consequences, etc) in a manner similar to what [[Anthropology|anthropologists]] call "[[thick description]]". | + | ==Definition== |
| + | The term "[[subaltern]]" in this context is an allusion to the work of [[Italy|Italian]] [[Marxism|Marxist]] [[Antonio Gramsci]] (1881–1937). Literally, it refers to any person or group of inferior rank and station, whether because of [[Race (classification of human beings)|race]], [[social class|class]], [[gender]], [[sexual orientation]], [[ethnicity]], or [[religion]]. | ||
| + | The SSG arose in the 1980s, influenced by the scholarship of [[Eric Stokes (historian)|Eric Stokes]], to attempt to formulate a new narrative of the history of India and South Asia. This narrative strategy most clearly inspired by the writings of Gramsci was explicated in the writings of their "mentor" [[Ranajit Guha]], most clearly in his "manifesto" in Subaltern Studies I and also in his classic monograph ''The Elementary Aspects of Peasant Insurgency''. Although they are, in a sense, on the [[left-wing politics|left]], they are very critical of the traditional Marxist narrative of Indian history, in which semi-[[feudal]] India was colonized by the [[United Kingdom|British]], became politicized, and earned its [[independence]]. In particular, they are critical of the focus of this narrative on the political consciousness of elites, who in turn inspire the masses to resistance and rebellion against the British. | ||
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| + | Instead, they focus on non-elites — subalterns — as agents of political and social change. They have had a particular interest in the discourses and rhetoric of emerging political and social movements, as against only highly visible actions like [[Demonstration (people)|demonstrations]] and [[Rebellion|uprisings]]. | ||
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| + | ==People associated with Subaltern Studies== | ||
| + | <!--Initial list comes from http://www.postcolonialweb.org/poldiscourse/theosubaltern.html --> | ||
| + | The Subaltern Studies group was founded by Ranajit Guha. In more recent times, some former members have become disillusioned with | ||
| + | the post-modern turn that the group has taken (notably Sumit Sarkar who left the group). | ||
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| + | Scholars associated with Subaltern Studies include: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[Touraj Atabaki]] | ||
| + | * [[Shahid Amin]] | ||
| + | * [[David Arnold (historian)|David Arnold]] | ||
| + | * [[Gautam Bhadra]] | ||
| + | * [[Dipesh Chakrabarty]] | ||
| + | * [[Partha Chatterjee]] | ||
| + | * [[Ranajit Guha]] | ||
| + | * [[David Hardiman]] | ||
| + | * [[Sudipta Kaviraj]] | ||
| + | * [[Lata Mani]] | ||
| + | * [[Shail Mayaram]] | ||
| + | * [[Gyan Pandey]] | ||
| + | * [[M.S.S Pandian]] | ||
| + | * [[Gyan Prakash]] | ||
| + | * [[Edward Said]] | ||
| + | * [[Sumit Sarkar]] (later dissented) | ||
| + | * [[Ajay Skaria]] | ||
| + | * [[Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak]] | ||
| + | * [[Susie Tharu]] | ||
| + | * sanal mohan | ||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| - | *[[Marxist historiography]] | + | |
| - | *[[Alltagsgeschichte]] | + | * [[Latin American subaltern studies]] |
| - | *[[Subaltern studies]] | + | |
| - | *[[Howard Zinn]] | + | ==Further reading== |
| - | *[[New labor history]] | + | * Young, Robert, ''White Mythologies''. Routledge, 1990, reissued 2004. Several associated ISBNs, including ISBN 0-415-31181-0, ISBN 0-415-31180-2. |
| + | *Ludden, David, ed., ''Reading Subaltern Studies. Critical History, Contested Meaning and the Globalization of South Asia'', London 2001. | ||
| + | *Chaturvedi, Vinayak, ed., ''Mapping Subaltern Studies and the Postcolonial''. London and New York 2000. | ||
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The Subaltern Studies Group (SSG) or Subaltern Studies Collective are a group of South Asian scholars interested in the postcolonial and post-imperial societies of South Asia in particular and the developing world in general. The term Subaltern Studies is sometimes also applied more broadly to others who share many of their views. Their approach is one of history from below, focused more on what happens among the masses at the base levels of society than among the elite.
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Definition
The term "subaltern" in this context is an allusion to the work of Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci (1881–1937). Literally, it refers to any person or group of inferior rank and station, whether because of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or religion.
The SSG arose in the 1980s, influenced by the scholarship of Eric Stokes, to attempt to formulate a new narrative of the history of India and South Asia. This narrative strategy most clearly inspired by the writings of Gramsci was explicated in the writings of their "mentor" Ranajit Guha, most clearly in his "manifesto" in Subaltern Studies I and also in his classic monograph The Elementary Aspects of Peasant Insurgency. Although they are, in a sense, on the left, they are very critical of the traditional Marxist narrative of Indian history, in which semi-feudal India was colonized by the British, became politicized, and earned its independence. In particular, they are critical of the focus of this narrative on the political consciousness of elites, who in turn inspire the masses to resistance and rebellion against the British.
Instead, they focus on non-elites — subalterns — as agents of political and social change. They have had a particular interest in the discourses and rhetoric of emerging political and social movements, as against only highly visible actions like demonstrations and uprisings.
People associated with Subaltern Studies
The Subaltern Studies group was founded by Ranajit Guha. In more recent times, some former members have become disillusioned with the post-modern turn that the group has taken (notably Sumit Sarkar who left the group).
Scholars associated with Subaltern Studies include:
- Touraj Atabaki
- Shahid Amin
- David Arnold
- Gautam Bhadra
- Dipesh Chakrabarty
- Partha Chatterjee
- Ranajit Guha
- David Hardiman
- Sudipta Kaviraj
- Lata Mani
- Shail Mayaram
- Gyan Pandey
- M.S.S Pandian
- Gyan Prakash
- Edward Said
- Sumit Sarkar (later dissented)
- Ajay Skaria
- Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak
- Susie Tharu
- sanal mohan
See also
Further reading
- Young, Robert, White Mythologies. Routledge, 1990, reissued 2004. Several associated ISBNs, including ISBN 0-415-31181-0, ISBN 0-415-31180-2.
- Ludden, David, ed., Reading Subaltern Studies. Critical History, Contested Meaning and the Globalization of South Asia, London 2001.
- Chaturvedi, Vinayak, ed., Mapping Subaltern Studies and the Postcolonial. London and New York 2000.
