Which of the following does the Subaltern Studies project contend?
A. Traditional historiography celebrated the role of the subalterns.
B. Traditional history of India’s freedom movement celebrates the contribution of select icons.
C. Traditional historiography highlights the dominant strands of India’s freedom struggle.
D. Subaltern Studies historiography highlights the dominant strands of India’s freedom struggle.

Correct option is B

Explanation:

The Subaltern Studies project critiques traditional historiography for focusing on elite narratives while sidelining the roles of marginalized and subaltern groups in India’s freedom struggle. It argues that traditional history prioritizes the contributions of iconic leaders and highlights dominant political and social narratives, neglecting the grassroots struggles of the oppressed and marginalized.

Information Booster:

Subaltern Studies is  a historiographical approach that emphasizes the role of marginalized groups in history.

It challenges elite-centered historiography and represent the voices of the oppressed in colonial and postcolonial contexts.

Influenced by Antonio Gramsci and popularized by historians like Ranajit Guha.

- Traditional history of India’s freedom movement celebrates the contribution of select icons: This is a key criticism of traditional historiography, which tends to focus on prominent figures, like leaders of the Indian National Congress, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Subhas Chandra Bose. The Subaltern Studies project critiques this narrow focus, arguing that the contributions of the broader masses, particularly the subaltern classes (peasants, workers, and other marginalized groups), have been neglected.

- Traditional historiography highlights the dominant strands of India’s freedom struggle: The Subaltern Studies project critiques the way traditional histories have focused on the elite political struggles in India’s freedom movement. It highlights how the struggles of the subaltern classes, such as peasants’ uprisings or labor protests, have been marginalized or excluded from mainstream historical narratives.

- Origin: The Subaltern Studies project originated in the 1980s, spearheaded by a group of South Asian scholars, most notably Ranajit Guha, who challenged the conventional view of history that celebrated elite leaders and ignored the contributions of the marginalized sections of society.

Definition of ‘Subaltern’:

- The term “subaltern” refers to groups in society who are oppressed, marginalized, or excluded from the dominant power structures. This includes peasants, workers, women, tribals, and other communities that have historically been ignored or underrepresented in traditional historical narratives.

Major Themes:

- The project focuses on giving voice to the subaltern by critically examining the power dynamics and social inequalities that have shaped history.

- It attempts to recover the histories of marginalized groups and reframe the dominant narrative of India’s freedom struggle.