Nation with Discriminations: Literary Voices from the Subalterns
ISBN 978-81-921254-5-9
Worldwide Circulation through
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First Published in 2013 by GNOSIS, New Delhi-110 016
ABOUT BOOK
Exploitation and subordination are innate human tendencies. From times
immemorial, there has been hegemony of power, culture and gender in the
universe. Discriminatory treatment of a vast global population has been
justified on the basis of caste and colour. In most parts of Asia and Africa,
this is the root for discrimination. According to UNICEF and Human Rights
Watch, caste discrimination affects an estimated 250 million people worldwide.
Discrimination is the detrimental treatment of an individual based on their membership
in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors toward groups
such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that
are available to another group. They have been treated just like third-grade
citizens. This bias and discriminatory treatments towards Marginal and
subaltern groups affect growth of individuals, society and Nation as well.
The term ‘subaltern’ is used in postcolonial theory. Some thinkers use
it in a general sense, to refer to marginalized groups and the lower classes, a
person rendered without agency by his or her social status. Others, such as
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak use it in a more specific sense. She argues that:
“….subaltern is not just a classy word for oppressed, for Other, for
somebody who's not getting a piece of the pie....In postcolonial terms,
everything that has limited or no access to the cultural imperialism is
subaltern- a space of difference. Now who would say that's just the oppressed?
The working class is oppressed. It's not subaltern....Many people want to claim
subalternity. They are the least interesting and the most dangerous. I mean,
just by being a discriminated-against minority on the university campus, they
don't need the word 'subaltern'...They should see what the mechanics of the
discrimination are. They're within the hegemonic discourse wanting a piece of
the pie and not being allowed, so let them speak, use the hegemonic discourse.
They should not call themselves subaltern” (Spivak.1994).
Dalit Literature, Subaltern Literature or Marginal Literature are
complex and controversial terms to explain. But commonly it may be called as
‘Literature of Oppressed’ as it is a literature of pain, suffering, agony and
protest. It has emerged as a thought
provoking, ever widening branch of literature in recent days. It deals with the
oppression, suffering, psychological turmoil, ambers to overcome the
indignities, shed off the backwardness, encompassing the world canvass
comprising of the human values of love, aspirations, fulfillment of human needs
and appeal to be treated as human being.
The words dalit, subaltern and marginal though complex and different
terms refer commonly to the people who are oppressed and discriminated because of their caste, creed, culture, race,
colour, gender or religion. So the literature dealing with such oppressed
people should not be categorized as literature produced by those who belong to
such category. It is not ‘castiest’ literature but human literature. It can be
produced by anyone who believes in human values and dignities. This ‘Literature
of Oppressed’ reflected the striving of such people to gain their self-respect,
dignity as a human being. Even today in the 21st century they encounter the
twin tragedy of social exclusion and violence. Even the most educated emit the
venom of untouchability and treat them in a prejudiced way.
The question of subalterns made a host of literary scholars restless
and compelled them to ponder over this. Many writers and scholars postulated
their views in their own retrospective and tried to unearth the latent concept.
This anthology Nation with
Discrimination: Literary Voices from the Subalterns echoes this world
ridden hegemony through the diverse intellectual and analytical studies of
literature across the nation at the hands of multifaceted voices from the
various colleges and universities.
The volume is an endeavour to bring before its readers the vast area
that Dalit, Subaltern and Marginal Literature has traveled in its journey since
beginning. The contributors seriously contemplated on the problems of the
outcaste, downtrodden, enslaved and untouchables and urged to make them
suitable equivalent with others so that they can join in mainstream of the
socio-economic, cultural, modern and civilized society. The shackles of the
social evils even in 21st century have not been broken. On paper we can remove
untouchablity but the centuries old disgust is still practiced in the society.
In order to remove all these shackles, the present intellectual and analytical
studies of this literature across the nation at the hands of various colleges
and universities scholars will surely help.
