Write a short note on what do you understand by Subaltern historiography ?

Subaltern historiography is an approach to historical analysis that seeks to recover the voices, experiences, and perspectives of marginalized and oppressed groups who have been historically excluded or silenced within dominant narratives of history. Coined by Italian Marxist historian Antonio Gramsci and popularized by Indian historian Ranajit Guha, subaltern historiography challenges Eurocentric, elitist, and nationalist interpretations of history, advocating for a more inclusive and pluralistic understanding of the past.

Subaltern historiography focuses on studying the lives, struggles, and agency of subaltern groups, such as peasants, workers, indigenous peoples, women, and colonized populations, whose stories have often been marginalized or erased in conventional historical accounts. It emphasizes grassroots movements, everyday resistances, and alternative forms of collective action that have shaped historical processes from below.

Key principles of subaltern historiography include:

1. Centrality of Subaltern Agency: Subaltern historiography places a strong emphasis on the agency and contributions of subaltern groups to historical change and social transformation. It seeks to highlight the diverse strategies, aspirations, and forms of resistance employed by marginalized communities in asserting their rights and identities.

2. Critique of Hegemonic Narratives: Subaltern historians critically examine dominant narratives of history produced by ruling elites, colonial powers, and dominant classes, revealing their biases, omissions, and distortions. They challenge the notion of a singular, unified history and instead promote a multiplicity of voices and perspectives.

3. Use of Alternative Sources: Subaltern historians employ a wide range of sources beyond traditional archives, including oral histories, folklore, songs, and material culture, to reconstruct the lived experiences and cultural expressions of subaltern groups. This enables a more nuanced understanding of historical events and social dynamics from the perspectives of those at the margins of society.

Overall, subaltern historiography seeks to democratize the writing of history by centering the experiences and voices of marginalized communities, thereby enriching our understanding of the complexities and diversity of human experience across time and space.