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Write short notes on Chapter 1: Historiography - Development in the West. 7, Subaltern History.


Write short notes on 

Chapter 2: Historiography - Indian Tradition.


7, Subaltern History.


Ans. I. Subaltern means the ‘bottommost ranks’ and subaltern history developed from the idea that history should be written from the bottommost rank of people in the society. This idea was developed by the italian historian Antonio Gramsci and its seed are supposed to be found in the Marxist historiography. 

Ii. One of the important sources of writing subaltern histories is the folklore. 

Iii. The Indian historian, Ranjit Guha, played a major role in establishing subaltern history as an important academic school of historiography. Prior to him, similar thoughts were expressed by Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. 

Iv. Mahatma Phyle drew attention to the exploitation of women, Shudras and atishudras done under the name of religion. In his book, Gulamgiri, he unfolded the history of the shudratishuda community. The terms shudra and atishudra indicates the bottommost ranks in the caste system. 

Similarly, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar wrote about the role of people belonging to Dalit castes in shaping the various cultural and political aspects of India which was neglected in the colonial and nationalistic historiography. His two books ‘Who Were the Shudras’ and ‘The untouchables’ are examples of the history of Subaltern type.