COMPSTD 1100
Week 4 Context Research Presentation – Subaltern History and Studies
September 11, 2020
Zach Whalen
It would be beneficial to learn from where the term subaltern originated. Antonio Gramsci coined the term subaltern while in an Italian prison during the Fascist reign of Mussolini in 1926. While in prison, he wrote a series of books that are now titled, Prison Notebooks. These notebooks contained theories on history, politics, and philosophy. Gramsci defined that a subaltern was the subjected underclass in a society on whom the dominant power exerts its hegemonic influence. In terms of this course, think of subaltern as the Other or the Slave in the Master-Slave dialectic. Antonio Gramsci was widely known and celebrated to be the most original political thinker in Western Marxism and an all-around outstanding intellectual figure, and almost every author whose work touches upon subalterns alludes to Gramsci’s formulation of the concept. (Columbia University Press).
Moving forward in time, scholars in India desired to take back the word “subaltern” and their history from the elite and current imperial history. At this time, Subaltern Studies was born. The goal of Subaltern Studies was to view history, especially the history of those that were viewed as the Other, through a different lens. A common phrase is that history is written by the victors. Subaltern Studies gives that power and history back to those that were not viewed as the so called victors. Finding the sources of the silent groups can pose to be challenging and if using “western” sources, caution must be taken to view the source itself through a lens other than from the western point of view. California State University Long Beach’s site on Subaltern Studies states the objective best, “subaltern history will help lay bare previously covered histories, previously ignored events, previously purposeful hidden secrets of the past”. Several leaders involved in Subaltern Studies include Ranajit Guha, who focuses their work on peasant uprising in India and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, whom we will be reading this week. Spivak focuses her work on deconstruction, Marxism, and feminism within Indian history.
Works Cited
Csulb.edu. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2020, from https://web.csulb.edu/~ssayeghc/theory/subalternstudies.htm
Prison Notebooks. (2017, February 22). Retrieved September 11, 2020, from http://cup.columbia.edu/book/prison-notebooks/9780231060820
Subaltern Social Groups. (2017, February 22). Retrieved September 11, 2020, from https://cup.columbia.edu/book/subaltern-social-groups/9780231190398
Thank you for your presentation. It really explained the message to me on what subaltern is. Normally when I don’t know the particular meaning of a word, I always look it up to give myself a better understanding. The basic definition that I found was “lower standards”. Which didn’t give me the full meaning till I read your presentation. You went on to compare subaltern to our previous class readings of “Other” and the slave in master-slave scenario. Which really gives the class the comparison on how all of these works can be tied together. Overall this topic is about social groups that have been excluded from power structures.
Zach
You did a great job describing the reading for the week. I find it very interesting that the term subaltern was coined from a man who was in prison. This adds a whole different spin on the coming to be of this term. I look forward to reading Spivak’s writings on feminism within Indian history. While this is not something that I feel as if I fully relate to I love knowing why other people feel and think the ways that they do.
Thank you
Zach,
Thank toy for your thoughtful analysis and information in your presentation. I did not know what the word subaltern meant, and I wasn’t understanding when I tried to look more into it. Your definition describing it as the subjected underclass, that most people didn’t know of really made sense to me. Using an example based off the Master and Slave and Other it bringing it all together for me. I realized that when we learn about history, and events in the past that we must try to see all view points. Understanding this and how to see a source through different lenses will definitely help with the readings this week as well as my understanding. Thanks for the excellent presentation!
It is fascinating to hear about the origin of Subaltern Studies. As you refer to, most history is written by the victor, so it is interesting to hear about stories being told from the other side. Every event in history has multiple viewpoints;however, we usually only learn about one side. This study made me think about and question simple events in history, for instance the American Revolution. Americans speak about freedom and Britain`s unfair policies, yet we fail to recognize Britain’s point of view. Britain must have believed their policies were just. Subaltern Studies forces people to think about the other and recognize their ideas. I am captivated by the idea of Subaltern Studies and appreciate your background of the word subaltern and of the origin of subaltern studies, in order to get a better understanding of what I am learning.
I really liked your presentation and how you explained more about Subaltern means. I have never really heard this term before and I usually spend time looking it up and learning more about what it is but your presentation provides that information. I also really like how you compared Subaltern to other things we have gone over in this class. It is very interesting how Subaltern studies urges people to think about other people and respect where they came from and their ideas about life.
Hi Zach
There was one statement I found most interesting in your blog post : “A common phrase is that history is written by the victors.” I find this statement not surprising but thought provoking – as I do see it to be true and it resonates with the entirety of what Subaltern means. You also stated that finding the source of these silent groups can be challenging, and especially so if from a western source as it can be taken only through the lens of a western POV. While I was not aware of Subaltern prior to this weeks reading and what that meant, I can see the connection of why it is true. It makes complete sense. How can we let western historians interpret these silenced groups? They don’t have the perspective or conscious that these silent groups have. It isn’t possible through our lens. One statement I liked from Spavik’s writing was “The postcolonial intellectuals learn that their privilege is their loss” basically saying that our viewpoint is skewed… we cannot understand that viewpoint of the other or subaltern because we never were. We just can’t relate or be trusted to tell their stories.
Hello
Thanks for your presentation. I really enjoyed learning more about what Subaltern meant and the back story behind it. I glad that you gave examples of what it meant bust also connected it to what we have already learned with the “other” concept and the “master and slave” concept. It helped me have a better understanding of the word. I also liked how you explained how people from other parts of the world took the word and its meaning.
Thank you for the explanation into the term “subaltern” I thought I had a confident grasp on the term yet you took it farther with a literal definition which also helped me think more intellectually about the term and if I view parts of society in a “subaltern” lens. Good post.
Thank you for your comprehensive definition of the term subaltern, as well as the history behind it and how it compares to cultural concepts we’ve discussed in the class so far. I think it’s interesting how it is similar to the concept of the Other or the “slave” in the “Master-Slave Dialectic”, but it emphasizes the voice that the marginalized group has (or rather the lack thereof). It’s interesting to become increasingly aware of how the history we learn was many times “written by the victors”, and I look forward to potentially broadening my perspective on what I’ve been missing.
I am surprised I have never heard of the idea of “subaltern” until now. I think your presentation informed me as much as it needed too and honestly inspires me to learn more about this type of study. I love to experience and learn about other cultures so for me this is very interesting. Would Subaltern Studies cover events or traditions of a society that western societies fail to recognize?
I appreciate your deep dive into the term subaltern and its origins. I struggled with fully understanding the term within the context of our readings, and it really does have more meaning that simply a minority.
I also appreciated your inclusion of the quote “history is written by the victors.” A former teacher of my own always said “the winners right the history books”, and this helped me understand the excerpt by Spivak, too, and how those with the power to dominate not only politically, but intellectually as well can influence history and our understanding of it.
Hi Zach,
I find your post very interesting. To know that the word can be traced back to an Italian in a 1926 prison is interesting to say the least. It was also interesting to read about the leaders involved in Subaltern Studies and what they focus their work on. I was able to better understand the meaning and history by reading your post. I liked how you incorporated past concepts to understand this week’s concept of subaltern.
Hi Zach,
This presentation was truly interesting, by defining “subaltern” and explaining its origin, this made it easier to understand what Spivak’s goal was within the text. Through connecting the term to the Master-Slave concept, it clearly shows how feminism and India’s history were seen through the lens of the Master or a Westerner’s point of view.
Thanks for providing background on the term subaltern and an intro to subaltern studies. Knowledge of its communist roots is helpful to understand subaltern studies. Just as communism seeks to give the means of production to the people, subaltern studies seeks to give the power of telling their own history to the people, rather than have it be told by the elites or the colonizers or those with wealth. Your post helped clarify the term and its roots.
This is the first time I have heard of the word subaltern. Thank you for going into the background of how the word came about. You mention, “A common phrase is that history is written by the victors. Subaltern Studies gives that power and history back to those that were not viewed as the so called victors.” I can see victors writing our history as well. It would be nice to hear about the common or lower status (below a victor) person. Most of us do not make it big. It is nice to know someone other than me with the same accomplishments or failures.
Hi Zach! Thank you for presenting us the background. I feel your research is very useful. The origin of Subaltern Studies is helpful to understand this week’s reading. I agree with you that we should not see things from one side. I also like you related your topic to things we learned last few weeks.