How did Subaltern Studies seek to restore the agency of Indian peasants in history?

Subaltern Studies sought to restore the agency of subordinated populations, including Indian peasants, by shifting the focus of historical inquiry away from colonial elites and toward the experiences of the masses.12

Rather than merely documenting the contributions of these groups within existing historical frameworks—an approach some theorists argued still relied on oppressive, elite-driven categories—Subaltern Studies aimed to challenge the cultural and economic hegemony that had historically marginalized these voices. By rejecting the "master narratives" often found in traditional or Marxist historiography, these scholars sought to uncover the histories of subordinated people on their own terms.12

This project often involved a critical engagement with Western categories of knowledge, which subaltern theorists argued had been used to discredit the cultural stock of colonized peoples. By prioritizing the study of the "subaltern"—a term denoting those of subordinate rank—historians in this field have significantly influenced the historiography of South Asia and beyond, licensing accounts of the past that emphasize the agency of those previously excluded from conventional historical practice.12