A Study of Identity Issues in Select Dalit Autobiographies in Cultural Studies

Navigating the Margins: A Study of Identity Issues in Dalit Autobiographies

This research delves into the complex and multifaceted identity issues articulated within two seminal Dalit autobiographies: Daya Pawar's Baluta (1978) and Shantabai Kamble's Mazya Jalmachi Chittarkatha (My Birth's Story, 1983). Situated within the framework of cultural studies, this study aims to explore how these narratives function as powerful sites for the articulation of Dalit subjectivity, challenging dominant socio-cultural paradigms and reclaiming agency within a historically oppressive context. Dalit literature, particularly autobiography, has emerged as a crucial genre for understanding the lived experiences of marginalized communities in India. These narratives serve not merely as personal testimonies but as potent socio-political interventions that expose the deep-seated caste-based discrimination and violence embedded within Indian society. Baluta and Mazya Jalmachi Chittarkatha are pivotal texts in this literary tradition, offering raw and unflinching accounts of the authors' struggles against systemic oppression. This study employs a multi-pronged approach, drawing upon key concepts from cultural studies, including.

Subaltern Studies: Examining how Dalit voices disrupt hegemonic narratives and challenge the representation of marginalized communities within dominant discourses.

Postcolonial Theory: Analyzing the enduring legacies of caste-based oppression as a form of internal colonialism, highlighting the power dynamics and resistance strategies employed by Dalit individuals.

Feminist Theory: Paying particular attention to the intersection of caste and gender, especially in Kamble's work, where the complexities of Dalit womanhood are poignantly articulated.

Memory and Trauma Studies: Exploring how these autobiographies function as sites of collective memory, bearing witness to historical injustices and the enduring psychological impact of trauma.

Identity Construction: Investigating how Dalit individuals negotiate and construct their identities in the face of social stigma, exclusion, and violence movement.