History
Subaltern Studies and the Politics of Historical Representation
Quick fact
The idea of the 'subaltern' comes from Antonio Gramsci, an Italian Marxist imprisoned by Mussolini, who used it to refer to the working class and peasantry. In colonial India, the Subaltern Studies group inverted this to mean the oppressed and marginalized, radically challenging conventional histories.
Why this is interesting
When you open a history textbook, you see the victors' story. But what about the servants, peasants, and rebels who never get a voice?