India and Subaltern history: Who tells the story? Flashcards
What is a product of the British Empire? And why?
World map. Place themselves in the centre. Picture of static authority.
Why did British men learn Persian?
Communication from India to London took 6 months, so they ran East India Company from India.
Learned language to govern.
Why was India seen as lacking history?
Their history mentions Gods and was seen as “mythical”
Example of “mythical” Indian history?
Bhagvad Gita - Scripture where Krishna involves himself in war affairs
Member of Culcutta’s Supreme Council?
Thomas Macaulay
What did Thomas Macaulay do?
- Replaced Persian with English in Courts
- Wrote English history after returning from India
What did Thomas Macaulay write about English history? Why?
England was liberated from superstition to embracing Protestantism
To highlight British authority over India and it’s history
3 Characteristics of History as a pursuit (British man’s perspective)
Historical Narratives
Historical Change
Historical Agency
Historical Narrative and why did India not qualify?
Rational enquiry - Can tell the difference between earthly affairs and religious myth
India was seen as not having this. Ex, Bhagavad Gita
Historical Change and the relation to India
Recognise, explain and celebrate the significance of historical events
India seen as incapable of documenting history without imperial intervention
Historical Agency and the relation to India
History is linear development and progress
India doesn’t have before imperialism (uncivilised)
What is subaltern history?
A group of scholars who rewrite india’s
Who do subaltern historians look at?
Average, working close people
What did Shahid Ami, one of the first Subalternists, say?
’ Peasants do not write, they are written about’
What are colonial archives? How are they used by subalternists?
Historical documents from British authority and colonisers, that teach how to oppress and rule over marginalised groups.
Subalternists read against the grain of the documents.
