‘‘Subaltern’ Perspectives on Subaltern’ Perspectives on South Asian History and South Asian History and

SocietySociety

Subaltern StudiesSubaltern Studies

A non-elite ‘perspective’ on South A non-elite ‘perspective’ on South Asian historyAsian history

An attempt to re-write, or retrieve An attempt to re-write, or retrieve subaltern historiessubaltern histories

This is sometimes attempted by This is sometimes attempted by looking for their trace (or even looking for their trace (or even absence) in elite historyabsence) in elite history

Who are the ‘subaltern’Who are the ‘subaltern’

Subaltern as an ‘inferior’ rank (i.e. the lowest Subaltern as an ‘inferior’ rank (i.e. the lowest strata in society). The term was used by strata in society). The term was used by Antonio Gramsci, and popularised in the Antonio Gramsci, and popularised in the ‘subaltern studies’ literature‘subaltern studies’ literature

The non-elite in colonial India. The elite being ;The non-elite in colonial India. The elite being ;A) Foreign Elite (the colonial state and its A) Foreign Elite (the colonial state and its

officials)officials)B) Indigenous Elite (feudal magnates, industrial B) Indigenous Elite (feudal magnates, industrial

and mercantile bourgeoisie, upper levels of and mercantile bourgeoisie, upper levels of the bureaucracy (from Guha 1988)the bureaucracy (from Guha 1988)

Example: Guha – ‘The Prose of Example: Guha – ‘The Prose of Counter-Insurgency’ Counter-Insurgency’

Guha argues that there is agency for Guha argues that there is agency for resistance and change within subaltern resistance and change within subaltern groups. But while elite forms of resistance groups. But while elite forms of resistance are often legalistic (and peaceful) he argues are often legalistic (and peaceful) he argues that subaltern resistance is often violent that subaltern resistance is often violent

He shows how the ‘trace’ of organised He shows how the ‘trace’ of organised resistance can be uncovered within the elite resistance can be uncovered within the elite history – but that the archive is not an history – but that the archive is not an accurate record – it is ideologically distorting accurate record – it is ideologically distorting and partial.and partial.

‘‘To the Deputy Adjunct General of the ArmyTo the Deputy Adjunct General of the Army

Sir, Sir, Authentic information having reached Authentic information having reached Government that a body of Fanatic Insurgents are Government that a body of Fanatic Insurgents are now committing the most daring and wanton now committing the most daring and wanton atrocities on the inhabitants of the country in the atrocities on the inhabitants of the country in the neighbourhood of Tippy in the Magistary of neighbourhood of Tippy in the Magistary of Baraset and have set a defiance and repulsed the Baraset and have set a defiance and repulsed the utmost force that the local Civic Authority could utmost force that the local Civic Authority could assemble.. To request that you will without assemble.. To request that you will without delay .. [send] one complete Battalion of Native delay .. [send] one complete Battalion of Native Infantry to Barrackpore, and two Six PoundersInfantry to Barrackpore, and two Six Pounders’ ’

(from Guha, The prose of counter-insurgency)(from Guha, The prose of counter-insurgency)

TerribleTerrible FineFine

Insurgents…………………………………………PeasantsInsurgents…………………………………………Peasants

Fanatic…………………………………………Islamic PuritanFanatic…………………………………………Islamic Puritan

Daring and wanton atrocities…….Resistance to Daring and wanton atrocities…….Resistance to oppressionoppression

Defying authority of the State……Revolt against Defying authority of the State……Revolt against ZamindariZamindari

Disturbing public tranquillity…….struggle for a better Disturbing public tranquillity…….struggle for a better orderorder

Intention to attack………….Intention to punish oppressorsIntention to attack………….Intention to punish oppressors

Adapted from Guha ‘The prose of counter-insurgency’Adapted from Guha ‘The prose of counter-insurgency’

The records ‘The records ‘speak of total complicityspeak of total complicity’’

Spivak ‘Can the Subaltern Spivak ‘Can the Subaltern Speak?’Speak?’

Spivak used the distinction in Marx’s Spivak used the distinction in Marx’s famous statement about the famous statement about the peasantry ‘peasantry ‘They cannot represent They cannot represent themselves, they must be themselves, they must be representedrepresented’, to examine the ’, to examine the dynamics of subaltern ‘voice’ and dynamics of subaltern ‘voice’ and ‘representation’‘representation’

Gayatri SpivakGayatri Spivak

‘‘Let us now move to consider the Let us now move to consider the margins (one can just as well say the margins (one can just as well say the silent, silenced centre) of the circuit silent, silenced centre) of the circuit marked out by this epistemological marked out by this epistemological violence, men and women among the violence, men and women among the illiterate peasantry, the tribals, the illiterate peasantry, the tribals, the lowest strata of the urban lowest strata of the urban subproletariatsubproletariat’ (Can the Subaltern ’ (Can the Subaltern Speak?)Speak?)

‘‘Between patriarchy and Between patriarchy and imperialism, subject-constitution imperialism, subject-constitution and object-formation, the figure and object-formation, the figure of the woman disappears, not of the woman disappears, not into pristine nothingness, but into pristine nothingness, but into a violent shuttling which is into a violent shuttling which is the displaced figure of the ‘third the displaced figure of the ‘third world woman’ caught between world woman’ caught between tradition and modernisationtradition and modernisation’ ’

(Spivak, Can the Subaltern (Spivak, Can the Subaltern Speak?)Speak?)

Spivak on Spivak..Spivak on Spivak..‘ ‘ ““the subaltern cannot speak”, means the subaltern cannot speak”, means

that even when the subaltern makes that even when the subaltern makes an effort to the death to speak, she is an effort to the death to speak, she is not heard, and speaking and hearing not heard, and speaking and hearing complete the speech act. That is complete the speech act. That is what I meant, and anguish marked what I meant, and anguish marked the spotthe spot’’

From ‘Subaltern talk’, in Landry and From ‘Subaltern talk’, in Landry and Mclean ‘The Spivak Reader’ (1996)Mclean ‘The Spivak Reader’ (1996)