Critical Social Inquiry 0290 - Can the Subaltern Speak

This course is a methods-course for all students interested in historical inquiry. We will start out by reading Gayatri Spivak's provocative essay "Can the Subaltern Speak?", in which she, among other things, problematizes the difficulties of writing the history of disenfranchised peoples who may not have left traces in the archive. We will then move into a variety of case studies from early modern Europe, Latin America, Africa, and South-Asia to discuss the potential for reading archival material against the grain. We might also discuss non-textual forms of historical research informed by objects and images. The class will be conducted seminar-style, with ample opportunities for students to pursue their own research.

Culture, Humanities, and Languages Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research Students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.