"Can the Subaltern Be Heard?": Political Theory, Translation, Representation, and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak Author(s): J.

Maggio Source: Alternatives: Global, Local, Political, Vol. 32, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 2007), pp. 419-443 Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40645229 . Accessed: 01/09/2013 06:53
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Sage Publications, Inc. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Alternatives: Global, Local, Political.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Alternatives 32 (2007), 419-443

Be Heard?": "Can theSubaltern Political Translation, Theory, and Representation, Chakravorty Spivak Gayatri
J.Maggio*
Spivak's essay "Can the Subaltern GayatriChakravorty the notionof the colonial (and Western) "questions Speak? ofthelimits oftheability and provides an example "subject" evenpostcolonial to interact ofWestern discourse, discourse, that theselimits cultures. Thisarticle with suggests disparate on overcome. Wheremuchcommentary can be (partially) of Marx the of focuses on her reading through prism Spivak the informantes and on her contention that "native Derrida, I contends thatSpicreatedand destroyed, simultaneously a vak's terms ofengagement always imply liberal-independent thelimits of that is actively Moreover, subject speaking. given I advocate a reading bySpivak's essay, understanding implied that offer a ofculture all actions (s) basedon theassumption communicative one can understand cultures role,and that by thevarious conducts oftheir culture. On this basis translating I arguethatthe titleof Spivak's be more accuessaymight stated as "Can the Subaltern Be Heard?"Keywords: rately culture, translation, postcolonial, Spivak, political theory AlongwithEdwardSaid's Orientalism, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak's the mostinfluential essay"Can the Subaltern Speak?"is probably Its impacthas spanned workin the fieldof postcolonial theory.1 "acrossthe disciplines of history, anthropology, sociology, literary women studies and cultural In her others."2 studies, studies, amongst famousessay,Spivakquestionsthe notion of the colonial (and have Western)"subject." She arguesthatEuropean intellectuals
of Florida, 4222 NW 19th Place, Gainesville, FL 32605. E-mail: *University jmaggio@polisci.ufl.edu

419

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

420

" BeHeard? 'Van the Subaltern

of the"other" and can placeitin thecontext assumed that know they to disoftheoppressed:"[intellectuals must thenarrative attempt Other."3 In fact, of society's close and knowthe discourse through the essentialization of the thisact of epistemic knowing/violence, ofthemenaceofempire. AsSpivak is always thereinforcement other thantransposing "There isno more writes: dangerous pastime proper and them as sociologinamesintocommon nouns, translating, using cultural Alltranscendental cal evidence."4 logicis,at itsheart, imperialistic.5 ofliterato exposethecomplicit nature LikeSaid,Spivak wants in the often innocent which tureand theintellectual elite, appears of The intellectual elite the Western realm of oppression.6 political in thearenaof tobe blameless (and sub-Western) academy pretends as disIn otherwords, Western colonialism. thought "masquerades the critic to touch its unconeven when interested presumes history, and partof the The academy is bothpartof theproblem scious."7 our "I think it is to solution. writes, important acknowledge Spivak in in order to be more effective in the muting, precisely complicity in a is almost Western scholar thelongrun."Hence,theintellectual Derridean paradox, settingthe limitsof discourseas well as thenondiscourse. expelling is always awarethat"theofdiscourse, Giventheselimits Spivak In to the subaltern.8 limited value have fact, though Spivak ory" may moretheoretical, she rec"feminism" wants to make,forexample, morethe"cannot be served that thesubaltern bythecallfor ognizes cannot Theory, though (society)."9 powerful, oryinAnglo-American initial of the subaltern. the actas an elixir to theissues Hence, questhere is a liberand whether is theroleoftheacademy, tionis what thesubaltern. desires ofstudying ating placefortheintellectual and it is a in a rather bizarre Thissetstheintellectual position, be a solution.10 liberalism cannot multicultural where position simple all difference. itactually seeks liberalism destroys neutrality, Although the willbe narrative of AsJ. G. A. Pocockwrites: "[The oppressed] all to absorb of [liberalism's difference] capacity partof thehistory In fact, on Spivak's itself."11 thecapacity and willreinforce account, Yetthere is is still colonial.12 eventheradically "subject" postmodern cultalk about to to to resources a desire, evena need, "develop begin oftrajectories."13 ture as a multiplicity with(and about) the subalGiventhisdesireto communicate an landmark I in this article that tern, essay provides argue Spivak's even limits of the of Western of the discourse, postability example cultures. Yetthisis an with to interact colonialdiscourse, disparate example that can be (somewhat)overcome.Whereas most of

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

/.Maggio 421

on and admirers) havefocused commentators (bothcritics Spivak's ofsubjectivity/difference/alterity, issues writes, or,as Terry Eagleton as you can decently to be "as obscurantist on Spivak's get attempt theconventional inter1offer a reading that with,"14 challenges away Mostinterpreters of Spivakhave noted of Spivak's essay. pretation to subjectivity, even"postmodern" that all claims that sheis asserting In this a form of neocolonialism. at their foundation are subjectivity, on her of Marx focuses sense,Spivak's through reading scholarship that the"native informant" on hercontention ofDerrida, theprism I contend In contrast, that and destroyed. created is simultaneously a terms of always imply liberal-independent engagement Spivak's that is actively speaking. subject all cultures to assumethat Yetitis presumptuous speaka similar a critic can the "best" Western of Hence, (citizen) language "identity." I that listens and understands. do is "openup"theway he/she suggest - is to try - to "translate" thenon-Western to do this an effective way and to conof communication all actions as a form to understand of on its own terms. Giventhe limits struesuch communication I a of culadvocate essay, reading bySpivak's understanding implied to a certain that all actions, ture extent, (s) basedon theassumption a culture role.Hence,one can understand offer a communicative by this of theircultures. conducts thevarious Byadopting translating one that and communication, viewof discourse moreopen-ended one can attempt to to notprivilege Western (or any)culture, aspires in mind, I assert that acrosscultures. Withthiscritique understand stated as "Canthe be moreaccurately ofSpivak's thetitle essay might Be Heard?" Subaltern and Spivak's(Non)SpeakingSubaltern Marx,Derrida, can be daunting because it is often The notionof the subaltern or 'otherness.'"15 to denote'oppression' fartoo vaguely "employed of she offers this resists definition, onlya description though Spivak is interesting Of course, sucha definition/description thesubaltern. can be situated the notionthatthe subaltern becauseit reinforces of the imperial power.In thissense,Spivak's onlyin the context ofhercreating theaccusation actsas an aegisagainst (non)definition a metaphilosophy. are exactly whatSpivak wants Of course, suchmetaphilosophies of she takes aimat certain to avoid.Thisis partially why applications to the subaltern, To scrutinize Marxism's relation Marxism. Spivak as wellas examining two Marx'snotion of"representation," analyzes

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

422

BeHeard?" "Canthe Subaltern

Said and Deleuze. IfEdward influenced thinkers byMarx:Foucault and then the of Foucault to blend work Granisci, Spivak attempted In fact, thetwothinkers. a Derridean seeksto drive wedgebetween to read Marx as notedabove,one can read Spivakas attempting Marx the "use-value is to understand a where Derrida, through of become theoretical fiction" and of a "questions origin something Derrida's work acts As Forest ofprocess."16 Pylesuggests, questions in questioning thefoundations of the forSpivak as a sortof "lever" And in questioning thesefountraditions.17 Western philosophical a Marx."18 resurrect "usable unlike seeks to Said, dations, Spivak, notions of This "usableMarx"cannotbe based on antediluvian terms uses two German on account, Marx, Spivak's representation. whichmeanssomething fortheverbtorepresent. Theyare vertreten, and darstellan, which in for" or "tostandin theplace of," like"tofill are confused translaThese terms a (in implies "re-presentation." cannot "Thesmall tions)whenMarxwrites: repproprietors peasant in other mustbe represented."19 resent However, themselves; they as represent. Yet generally languagesboth termsare characterized state formation and the of within senses two "[t]hese representation - are on theother law,on theone hand,and in subject-prediction, discontinuous."20 butirreducibly related ofthesubject a total Vertreten being"repunderstanding implies of hasthetotal if the It is almost as resented." "agency" representative is about in." In a the subject complete"filling contrast, dartelling voicebut is a "constituency." "[I]t is not aboutgiving representing for concerned with for, working representing and with, constituting, to thesubthemarginalized Hence,theWestern approach group."21 let themspeakforthemto speakforor to silently altern is either becausethey silencethesubaltern Bothstrategies selves. ignorethe ofthedominant to thesubaltern. relations positional of the twonotionsof representation Thus the amalgamation can never ofthesubaltern. a silencing establishes They speakbecause in the in for" and "embodied" are bothbeing"stood byothers they between therelationship discourse. dominant terms, Using"Marxist" and national alliancecannotexplainthe "textures globalcapitalism silencethe subaltern the Marxists In otherwords, of power."22 by in whichtheyhave no speaking themin discourse (re)presenting ofselfintellectuals' lists ofleftist that "the writes role.Spivak banality stands revealed; representing cannysubalterns knowing, politically In as transparent."23 themselves them,the intellectuals represent the of the other therepresentation other words, destroys subjectivity ofthesubaltern. is notesthatDeleuze's focuson the "workers' struggle" Spivak a There is no his It is of Eurocentrism. "genuflection."24 characteristic

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

/.Maggio 423

forexample,in whichDeleuze can account forideas, culture,or way, This problem is also seen in the trendy"claiming"of ideology.25 "new"Left:to use the termMaoist ChairmanMao by the perennially in the European contextis to cause Asia to be transparent.26 on Spivak's account, the microlevel histories of Additionally, Foucault glorify only the personal nature of resistance.These histotrendsthatmightplace the subaltern riesignorethe macrohistorical - an of power as a keyplayer.Looking at the larger concentrations would Foucault's whole to almost antithetical project approach natureof colonialismin a waythatFoucauldian expose theoppressive of cannot. Foucault cannot "see" the intellectualcontinuity histories of the colonial the Yet the he sees struggles disjuncture. only history; people are "playedout in the contextof global capitalismand impe"2? rialism. definedthemselves As mentionedabove, Europeans traditionally as the forin the contextof an other."Europe had consolidateditself as it constituted as even its colonies 'Others,' eign subjectbydefining The "self is tied to the whole notion of colonialism. As them."28 the himself as he constructs "The colonizer constructs Spivakwrites: cannot be secret that an open colony.The relationshipis intimate, "the In this sense, Spivak explores part of officialknowledge."29 of alteri tyas spatialas opposed to temporal."30 understanding Spivakelaborates on thisconcept in her excellent discussionof the Third World versusmovieswitha the Westernfilmsportraying "native"location. Spivak argues that one can rarelytell the time period of a Third World film,yet the temporaldetails of a "period piece" set in the Westare almostalwaysreadilyevidenton the celluloid. Spivak's language, using Frederick Jameson as an intellectual it is appropriateto quote her at length: backdrop,is so insightful of the projectcan be glimpsed The contemptuous spuriousness to that if contrast we on themost level, it,forexample, superficial of the U.S. "nostalgiafilm,"which Frederick Jameson has libidinalhistoricism." describedas a "well-nigh Jamesonfinds lost object of desire . . . for "the 1950s"to be "theprivileged "thestability and because at least Americans," they signify partly coloof "the insensible Americana." of a Speaking prosperity pax such as mode"in a film nization of thepresent bythenostalgia has been strategically "thesetting observes, Heat, Body Jameson to eschewmostof the signalsthat with framed, greatingenuity, of theUnitedStatesin its the normally convey contemporaneity weresetin some multi-national era ... as though[thenarrative] is time."No such ingenuity eternalthirties, beyondhistorical India simulacrum ofimperial neededin thecase of thespurious or Outof The rurallandscapeof Gandhi or colonialAfrica. Africa,

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

424

BeHeard?" Subaltern "Canthe

ofRajorcolony, as thebackdrop isin comfortably masquerading ofrural IndiaorAfrica fact theun-retouched today. landscape inIndiaandin Thedifferent resonance ofHomeandtheWorld is case in Northwest a point.31 Europe in thetemporal marches thecolotheWest forward Whereas world, of of time. the "movement" nial worldis always fixed, regardless itself eludes and even "Civilization," "self-identity" always "progress," is defined its differentiaIn other the West thesubaltern. words, by and "future," as wellas a senseof the"present," tionbetween "past," at leastas the world has no suchself-identity, theother. The colonial it. Western viewer perceives oftheWestern theother is often Given this unofficial notion self, such as Marxism "created" in reductionist, yetradical, philosophies Forexample, this reductionistor poststructuralism/postmodernism. in Foucault's oftheoppressed "valorization Marxism is also reflected as subject,the 'object being.'"32 Overall,the Marxist-Foucaulta leitmotif offoundahides"anessentialist Deleuzeanalysis agenda," on a notion of the other or is based tionalism.33 ThisMarxist analysis criIn extent that out."34 to the an "inside and fact, poststructuralists - certainly a favorite topic for such tique the European "subject" created. To is constantly thinkersthe"subaltern" engagein saidcriofthecolonialsubject."35 "theproduction tiqueis to employ in the Derrideanapproach,Spivaksees a potential Applying The situated the of thesubaltern. thesilences" subject, "measuring is thesubject is possible evenin thecontext where Derridean subject, but the "world" fixed.In thesecases,the selfis centered actually one tounderstand account, moves, and,on Spivak/Derrida's politics aroundthesubject.36 oftheworld this"moving" must deconstruct is theleastdangerous to philosophy In fact, Derrida's approach ofparties to commuoftherelative becausehe is self-aware positions he "invokes an 'appeal' to or exactterms, or,in Spivak's nications;37 a special Thereis,on Spivak's 'call' to the 'quite-other.'"38 account, in the tries to place himself to Derridabecausehe always empathy is theprototypicontext ofEuropean therefore, Derrida, philosophy. Ifone theboundaries. cal self-aware always questioning philosopher, can isalways a risk "that there saidboundaries, doesnotquestion they of totalitarianism."39 Hence, thereis a moral congealintovarieties tradition.40 to deconstruct anyphilosophical imperative thismode of deconstruction, Spivakarguesthatthe Applying cannotspeak. of howthesubaltern case of Indiansatiis illustrative Or is be understood? Can thesubaltern didSatisay?" She asks, "What the for?" Satiwas understood it always a "speaking either, through the male of innocent womenor,through as the slaughter English, as a voluntary act.In other thefemale Hindus whospokefor Indians,

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

/.Maggio 425

words,the subalternin this instance, the Indian women, have no voice: I am sugof widows. the killing I am not advocating Obviously the versions of the two within freedom, that, contending gesting is theplace of the diffrof thefemalesubjectin life constitution ritual is notbeingredeIn thecase ofwidow end. self-immolation, ofsatiwasthat itwas The gravity butas crime. fined as superstition of as the as cathected "reward," gravity imperijust ideologically as "socialmission."41 cathected alismwasthatis wasideologically In fact,Spivak points out that the Britishignored that sati was oftenmotivated Hence, sati was bywidows' inheritanceof property. understoodas the "noble Hindus" versusthe "bad Hindus," or as the The widow's act is dark-skins.42 versusthe primitive civilizedBritish "withthe defuncthusband never considered a formof martyrdom, standingin for the transcendentalOne." It was just considered a Indians accepted the British The nationalist crime.43 reading of sati, and made it a point to reclaim the practice. "Caught in the relay and national liberation between 'benevolent' colonial interventions the subaltern,"Spivak her for both construct will that her, struggles "cannot speak."44 suggests, Like a child being tornbetweentwodivorcing(or married) parto speak. The ents,the subalternare silenced even when attempting Its own voice framedas a quislingor as a resistant. subalternis always is neverheard. The productionof the postcolonialsubjectis depenas a subjectof study, as creationof the ''West" dent on the intellectual cannot understand the well as Said's Orient. Consequently, "We(st)" On Spivak's account, discourseof sati because it is not translated.45 the subalterncannot speak. have attemptedto answerthe question "Can the Severalwriters Kantian terms;yet, this misunderSubaltern Speak?" in explicitly This is ironic since Kant is a of Spivak'swork.46 standsthe intricacy for especiallyin her book A Critique "sticking point" Spivak'sanalysis, understands the Kantiansubjectas based Reason. Postcolonial of Spivak that subalterndo not have "culGiven the on aesthetic judgment.47 be human. cannot ture,"they truly Spivakwrites: ofa judgment Let us note [Kant's]rather prospecialinscription ifyouare naturally in nature, alien to needingculture, grammed of the of the desirability it. We should read Kant'sdescription this culturewithin of the human through properhumanizing of moral that frameof paradox: "Without idea, development itself raw call sublimepresents whichwe, preparedbyculture, as terrible." . . . {Critiques [demrohenMenschen] merely of Judge-

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

426

Be Heard?" "Can theSubaltern

ment 105; emphasismine [i.e., Spivak's])..The adjectiveroh is In fact in Kant, "uneducated." translated It is generally suggestive. thechildand thepoor,the"natare specifically the"uneducated" der rohe Mensch, is woman.By contrast, uneducatable" urally thesavmanin theraw, reach,accommodate can,in itssignifying ... age and theprimitive. or does notpossessa subThe rawmanhas notyetachieved offeeling includes structure or whose Anlage programming ject and perspectivized divided He is notyetthesubject forthemoral. he is notyetor simply In other words, critiques. amongthethree theonlyexamas such,theherooftheCritiques, notthesubject rational natural of a of the being. This gap yet concept ple can be betweenthe subject as such and the not-yet-subject circumstances underpropitious byculture.48 bridged because itindicatesthatculThe above-quotedlanguage is fascinating ture is the key to the Westernsubject. In other words,on Spivak's to make aesthetic out of the ability account,Kantcreatesthe "subject" Hence, to the extent requestsand/orjudgmentsvia human agency.49 neverspeak,or are neverheard, thatthe subaltern theydo not particdoes not ofthesubaltern Hence, thesilencing ipate in humanculture. onlyshape the discourse(in the Derridean sense), it also rendersthe a "subjectbeing." On an epistemological without subaltern level,the neverhave access to the Kantiansubject.Theyare excluded subaltern of such a subject.Hence, Kant not onlyestabby the verydefinition lishesthe modernWestern subject,but helps defineitsother. thisKantiandepento circumvent Later in thisarticle,I attempt dence on traditional"culture"as explicit "aesthetic judgment" by is not that the subaltern of a dependent offering way understanding I note that should on Kant. Notwithstanding solution, mypotential the us with of Kant indispensablestrategic supplies Spivak's"reading issues of the Western lever"to possiblyexplode the identity/ alterity because hear the one must to do Of subaltern, that, course, subject.50 ofspeech to theimpossibility is "gesturing the silenceof the subaltern to hear."51 to an audience thatrefuses Are the Subaltern Still Mute? The essentialSpivakianpuzzle is, "How can we account forthe subaltern?"How can theyspeak? It is not Spivak'sintent,on her explicit The intellectual, account,to silence all discussionof the subaltern.52 to analyze the subalternmustbe conscious of the or anyone,trying the subalternand the dominant vis--vis writer positionof the reader/

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

/.Maggio 427

fortheact as empowering the"native," It is notas simple discourse.53 In otherwords, it has a silencing effect. itself of "empowerment" The to two enable the subaltern to be speak. might impossible - speaking thattheycan speak "on their for or pretending traps - are always One intellectual. forthewell-intentioned own" waiting conAre cannot"intervene always benevolently."54 we, therefore, of the subaltern? demnedto a shallow "representation" are always, thesubaltern To a certain extent bydefinition, episan One can imagine that culture.55 the dominant below temologically the but this the subaltern could of "enlightenenlighten West, agent For example, is inherently ment" Spivakpointsout that troubling. and therefore informants" fortheelite, actas "native some"Indians" inforare "at best native view ofthesubaltern. havea distorted They in voiceoftheOther."56 interested intellectuals mants forfirst-world itis always informant is always Yetthis native situated; partofa "vanan it difficult to makes Thisvanishing imagine point ishing point." useThe native accessto thesubaltern. accurate informant, though is a grandnarrative, offers ful, my onlya dead end: "Evenifhistory crucial ofthenative thesubject informant, yet position pointis that and thereforegeopolitically foreclosed, is also historically the native inforof howbenevolent In fact, inscribed."57 regardless mantor thepostcolonial seen,to a ceris,he/sheis always critique thesubaltern tainextent, as an exoticother. Or,as Spivak suggests, blackness.58 an inaccessible remain thatSpivakattempts to establish Didurand Heffernan suggest Yetthis"intercepof"interception."59 discourse as a matter subaltern from theplacements and itsuffers isalways an actofmediation, tion" accountis often theafore-menof theinterceptor, whoon Spivak's Derridean informant. tionednative Hence,one can see theobvious informant. on the native withrelying For,like Derrida's problems is simultaneously invoked the "native informant's text, perspective is always on themarThe native informant andforeclosed."60 existing atall.Itsdefinition isitserasure: The disand hencenotexisting gins, is "turned intoa peritstwo ofrepresentation tancebetween worlds to the extentthat the native sistent Additionally, disruption."61 the desiresof the subalcan communicate informant/interceptor in service ofthetrends ofglobalcapiis ultimately thespeaker tern, is co-opted forwhat In otherwords, the nativeinformant talism. callsthe"New Didurand Heffernan write: Empire."62 Spivak
embraces the "concrete also problematically expeCredit-baiting are read as a ratiorience"of thesewomenas theirtestimonies nale forglobalization, so once again,thetransparent readingof is used to theotherand thereadingof theotheras transparent

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

428

BeHeard?" "Canthe Subaltern

thatis quickly an imperialistic consolidate empire capitalistic As Spivak in thetwenty-first thenorm century. sugbecoming ofglobal in the interest is invoked the subject gests, sovereign capitalism.63 but not informant is in a special, native In thissense,theso-called it the He/she enviable, possibilhegemony: opens "poisons position. itsauthorand cureshegemony of transgression, byreaffirming ity a signifier actsas a Derridean informant The native pharmakon, ity."64 that containsand definesthe other while "at the same time and of the need for of complicity remind [ing] us of thepossibility continuous strategizing."65
TheSpivakian Subject

in thisprocess: She is a thatshe is implicated acknowledges Spivak itself the In on sorts.66 of account, academy fact, Spivak's pharmakon culture into the of native itsrole in the co-option mustrecognize modesof culof globalcapitalism schematic and/orthe dominant our complicis to ture.67 writes, "[I]t important acknowledge Spivak in thelong more effective to be in order in the precisely muting, ity a certain can to own work In other run."68 extent, be, words, Spivak's tojustify can be employed Her writings to thesubaltern.69 silencing state and thegeneral welfare as themodern such"sellout"positions the intellectual of market-distribution Spivak, Consequently, goods.70 her conof the accoutrements ambushed is often author/ thinker, by informant. roleas a native tingent-historical itisunderofthesubaltern/native Given this informant, position focuses on the on literature Spivak thatmostsecondary standable To a certain in herwork. contained ofthe "subject" notions extent, of Spivak could be seen as an obsession thisnotionof the "subject" In a typical thinkers.71 and other move, poststructuralist postcolonial or essential.72 are fixed ofthe"self that all definitions rejects Spivak thatthe work as the argument One could read thegistof Spivak's colohasbeen defined (destroyed) byEuropean subject postcolonial the subalessentialized have anti-colonialists" nialism.73 Even"liberal tern because of the romantic impulseto have the most "pure" thetempis always there Ofcourse, populaceas possible.74 oppressed hence when and on a theother toinvestigate tation level, metaglobal the are often scholars not examining debating cosalterity, identity/ "citizen."75 or "subject" mopolitan to Spivak'sclaimsinvolve The traditional scholarly responses for an authentic ofthepotential a discussion either subject Spivakian them that allows thesubaltern toward an approach or a questtofind

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

/.Maggio 429

claims toa certain extent ownidentity Ofcourse, to "speak." Spivak's Thinkers suchas Didurand in the"subject" debate.76 are embedded concern is "identity essential claimthat Heffernan Spivak's explicitly is conventional wisdom the concerning Spivak Certainly politics."77 of the colonized."78 and the voice thatshe "problematized agency create idenborders as Wendy Brown Andtotheextent that, suggests, must create a new then the "new Yet, language.80 it immigrant" tity,79 a voice. wouldgivethesubaltern is notclearthatthisnewlanguage to that BruceRobbins Forexample, argues Spivak attempts explicitly another of critic who accuses the subaltern: "The for speaking speak to speakforthem."81 ... is ofcoursealso claiming forthesubaltern One could suggestthat Spivak'sautobiographical styleitself I am to a certain of the subaltern solvesthe problem speaking.82 "solution" Yet this to this extent ignores proposition. sympathetic I "native informant." role as a self-aware above-discussed Spivak's often works to deconstruct that style autobiographical Spivak's agree oftenimply "theoppositeof because her texts of identity notions identitarian demonstrates that to show: thestyle is taken what Spivak at are severely claims(and claimsto alterity) problematic best,and on occasion."83 dishonest Nevertheless, Spivakcannotescape her eliterole. a TerryEagleton offers NoticingSpivak'sapotheosisstatus, In the he her on levels. of work fact, questions many scathing critique thatis a shammarofpostcolonial wholenotion criticism, implying that He notes fewthinkers that enables tool lazyscholarship. keting "It remarkable how harditis to themselves: is theterm willembrace those for the whoproenthusiast find an unabashed among concept that the "idea ofthe claims admirable moteit."84 With Eagleton pith, theorists from has takensucha battering post-colonial post-colonial ofoneself likecallwouldbe rather that touse theword unreservedly Fatso."85 As mentioned above,Eagletonalso complains ing oneself is simply that incomprehensible.86 Spivak he takes extend attacks YetEagleton's beyond stylistic complaints; On Eagleton's ofpostcolonial studies. thewholeprogram issuewith informants" withan indolent are all "native account, postcolonials and her postcolonial brethren havea For though Spivak agenda.87 her"rather theoretical avantrather flamboyant baroquephilosophy, modestpoliticalagenda."88 concealsa rather Hence, for gardism "Like drifts backintotheliberal-capitalist: thepostcolonial Eagleton, ofsubversion it can allowone to speakdarkly muchcultural theory, to theleft ofEdward one's actualpolitics whileleaving onlyslightly criticism ofpostcolonialism, Others have joined in this Kennedy's."89 Some have thatit does not engagein any "real"conflict.90 stating

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

430

the BeHeard?" "Can Subaltern

on textuality itself concentration constievensuggested that Spivak's a form ofintellectual neocolonialism.91 tutes tendencies theword hisMarxist with Ofcourse, betrays Eagleton in theabove-quoted sentence. Whatis this"one'sactualpoliactual and economic distribution? tics"? Is itonly thenotions ofsovereignty areimportant, butshealsowants tosuggest ForSpivak, those notions takes forms. Standard Marxism and that domination many poststrucofthesubaltern's silence. turalism cannot explainthephenomenon Hence, Eagletonmissesmuch of "thegist"of Spivak'sassertions, metanarratives likeMarxism hushthe subalwhichis thatWestern Marxism a for tern.Eagleton's lingering implies potential problem Even Spivakis attached to a uniquely bothSpivakand her critics. - identity basedin action. It is true, of notion ofthesubject Western ofindividual reifies a sense that theWest's notion course, sovereignty reification.92 butitisunclear whether oftheother, Spivak escapesthis the intentions of and It is possible, Derrida, Spivak despite explicit notion of "Other" is as essentialist as theWestern that theDerridean theKantian subject.93 distinction is tiedup in thetension between The "self/ "other" of heard." the notion and "hybridConsequently, "speaking" "being in communication is a theory is a potential solution. Hybridity ity" affil"totheorize theconflicted and multiple studies that seeksa way at the con. . . is iations of diasporic Hybridity configured groups. and to name some of the local,global, social, political, legal junction theconcept ofhybridity is still basedon the dimensions."94 However, Of of an active Western speaker. course,thisspeaker very concept to communicate. makeslittlesense in the contextof the ability heard." Devadas and is linked to "being "Speaking" intimately Nicholls write: cannot In other the "cannot words, speak"in "thesubaltern an to the of to audience is speech impossibility speak" gesturing out.It is this to hearand respond to thecrying thatrefuses . . . the subaltern. transaction thatsuppresses incomplete on the is only as a complete transaction, [S]peaking, possible ofthesent ofthereception message.95 contingency theisois no clear-cut distinction between In yetother there words, a conflict, an inherent Thereis always and "listener." lated"speaker" and the"hearing the"speaking between tension, subject" subject."96 to the traditional There are severaldifficulties approach to bias A pressing as implied above,is theSpivakian problem, Spivak. active The search for the subaltoward "action" or,at least, speaking. thatthereis a "true" subaltern intowhichthe ternvoicepretends can tap.The poverty of thisposition is revealed careful Western by

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

/.Maggio 431

Derridean self as used the (de) centered which ownanalysis, Spivak's a trace of the unithe decentered self has Yet a (non)starting point. limited to a and it is often versal byitssubordinate position subject, - to a selfis self.The Derridean/Spivakian notionof the centered - a "newuniversal of subjectivity-as-differstructure certainextent aroundevery corner.98 Kantis creeping In other ence."97 words, "Derridean (non)subject" Given this "Kantian subject"/ affirmed. of the West is consistently the superiority dichotomy, ideason of of non-Western the burden work recovery places Spivak's that the Westerner she is theWestern intellectual, skeptical though addressthe damage done by colonialism.99 can ever adequately could imply thatthe conceptof the of Spivak Hence,one reading is as it is byEuropean "destroyed" subject interpreted postcolonial - and therefore and on European culture itis dependent colonialism are even In fact, liberals action.100 deeper well-meaning implicated in this ofthesubaltern.101 conservatives thanmean-spirited silencing as to Spivak's can be generalized In summary, thereaction essay or the an to enable allow forms: as three (1) attempt major taking subalto findtheauthentic (2) an attempt speechof thesubaltern; or "costo searchfora "universal" tern"self; and (3) an effort subject. mopolitan" and the is neverengagedqua the subaltern, Yetthe subaltern In other the subaltern. addressed vis--vis is never Western subject in a as as the subaltern can words, speak "language" speak long they cultureof the West. thatis alreadyrecognized by the dominant or the mediated viathemarket Reasonand rational communication, are and the subaltern forced as the meta-language, academy, prevail to competein a bazaarof ideas wherethe deck is stacked against ofcolonialrule them byyears theWest(often) Yetin thefaceof thesilenceof thesubaltern, from and systematize, as ifwe learnednothing seeksto synthesize that Instead ofrecognizing, as Spivak Nietzsche. asserts, logicalconthe Western forms of knowledge, tradictions embodythe richest tosynand evenmany thinkers, scholar, keepattempting postcolonial thesubaltern.102 and speakfor, thesize, the howcan theWestern scholar Given theaboveanalysis, study an as Spivak sometimes subaltern? Arethesubaltern always, suggests, or compare we can onlymeasure blackness" "inaccessible bywhich and a "blind Arethesubaltern theWest? understanding spotwhere Is knowledge of the "other" is blocked?"103 impossible? knowledge writes: Moore-Gilbert andallofthesubaltern the non-subaltern leaves would-be Spivak to ina seemingly unable simultaneously impossible predicament, In in ... other an "uninterested" fashion. the subaltern represent

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

432

Be Heard? "Can theSubaltern

"

must eithermaximally words,the non-subaltern respectthe thus leavingthe statusquo intact,or Other's radical alterity, featof "opening theimpossible up" to theOtherwithout attempt ownsubject-posiin anyway"assimilating" thatOtherto his/her or identity.104 tion, perspectives

can disthenotionthatonlythesubaltern Of course, rejects Spivak to discuss the scholar She wants theWestern cusstheoppressed.105 thatthe Pocockin acknowledging with and she concurs subaltern, theradtheother.106 tostudy needsan effective West Yet, though way itis always defiant shouldalways havea somewhat icalcritic stance,107 thesubaltern.108 about(for?) whenspeaking dangerous thatthe to theSpivakian As a possible answer puzzle,I suggest such disis to the subaltern to understand approach way appropriate I advoof translation. the methods as informed course Specifically, by ofthe and communication culture oftheeveryday catea "translating" - and theintegrity I argue, wouldmaintain Thisapproach, subaltern. - ofboththeWestern and thenon-Western subject. fluidity theSubaltern Translating in oftranslation theprocess havediscussed thinkers Several important of the intricacies with Walter Most struggled Benjamin notably, depth. oftranslation is a meaningthe"receiver" ForBenjamin, translation. In as the"original." is everthe"same" No translation lessconcept:109 this hidor establish reveal cannot a translation other words, "possibly theorigtask torepresent Itisnotthetranslator's denrelationship."110 transthe "Even is a for such inal, greatest impossible: representation ofitsownlanguage."111 ofthegrowth tobe part lation is destined between mustlook at theinteraction The translator languages, each and mustexplorethe "intention underlying languageas a is the "comingto On Benjamin'saccount,translation whole."112 the"getting ofcommunication, oftypes theforeignness with" terms Translation an aporia.113 that creates oflanguage at"theelement is, and moment one hermeneutic between in a sense,the"movement" the original, "elevate" can actually another.114 Hence, a translation in a waythat is to "echo"theoriginal and thetaskof thetranslator theintended meaning.115 helpsilluminate ofdisis always at themargins that translation suggests Benjamin diain intellectual courseand thatit actsa kindof "midway" point on a virtual on cannot A translator literalness, rely simply logue.116 but emptithereis nothing translation becausein literal drtelling, notion oftransiathis Steiner critic ness.117 explains George Literary

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

/.Maggio 433

tionin the contextof expressing the intentions of thewriter so "faras is able."118 [the translator] Roland Barthes also examined the methods of translation. Barthesassertedthatcultureitself was an artifact thatcould be translated intoacademic discourse.Everyday culturalobjectsand events - create such as commercials,soap powders,cookery,and so forth subordinateconnotations, which exist next to theirstandardmeanings. These subordinatemeanings subsequentlyhelp reinforcethe values of the dominant capitalist-bourgeois system.In translating Barthes is "interested in the semioticallyrich culture, everyday resourcesof an emerging consumersociety."119 For example,in transthe of the of Greta Garbo's face,Bartheswrites: lating image meaning "Garbo offeredto one's gaze a sort of Platonic Idea of the human creature,which explains whyher face is almost sexuallyundefined, without howeverleavingone in doubt."Barthessees the meaning of the popular-culture figure Garbo in the context, or language, of Platonic philosophy. This is an exemplar of translating cultureinto the language of reason. That being said, Barthesattempts to offera translationthat is a bit too systematic for an accounting of the be spoken for by a strucSpivakiansubaltern.The subalterncannot turalist metalanguage. Henri Lefebvrecriticized Barthes'stheoryof translation forhava "fetishism of Lefebvre that an overriding signification."120 argues culture: "Its desire to pin ing theoryis not well suited to interpret phenomena down to textualmeaning ... is ill-equippedto deal with the blankness and boredom of daily life."121 In his concluding Lefebvre that the needs to be understood thoughts, argues "everyday as a seriesof shifting, elements that resistthe modinterconnecting ern notion thatsightoffers This intelligibility."122 notion alignswith Steiner'sideas of "languagein perpetualchange."123 Steinerwrites: Buttheordinary at every to is,literally moment, language subject mutation. This takesmanyforms. New wordsenterin as old wordslapse. Grammatical conventions are changedunder the ofidiomatic use or bycultural ordinance. The spectrum pressure ofpermissible as that which is taboo shifts expression against perAta deeperlevel,therelative dimensions and intensities petually. ofthespokenand theunspoken alter.124 of the "relative dimensionand intensities of the Using thistranslation and the I believe a thinker can subaltern spoken unspoken," express lifewithappropriatesensitivity and subtleness.125 has written much about translation. As one might Spivakherself an earnest is the first to translation.126 Or, to be expect, listening step

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

434

" BeHeard? "Canthe Subaltern

silentis the initialstride the subaltern more accurate, declaring has a thinker of thesubaltern.127 an "unsilencing" toward Yet,after thena translation of theuniquesilenceof thesubaltern, awareness can takeplace. that one canwith translation, Benjamin Spivak agrees Regarding ... is a "necessary Translation notsignify the"original": impossibility. cannotsignify an 'origiIt is not a signbut a markand therefore thehost must to "inhabit" thetranslator nal.'"128 ForSpivak, attempt if manon the must "even She or he loan, many populate language.129 In the other of the host and levels words, sions, language." many of the lanfind the to must translator presuppositions always attempt "The translator thatare communicating. guageand of thecultures to grasp the writer's should make an attempt presuppositions. of the mostaccurate Translation is not the stringing syntogether notion In this sense, Spivak's syntax."130 bythemost proximate onyms more YetSpivak of translation is,I think, againechoesBenjamin's. of the transthe social to than responsibility Benjamin expand willing this that "I hope I havebeen able to at leastsuggest lator. She writes: a failure of to do has with of the state world something [negative] sense."131 and the narrow in the translation, general responsible itsuse, as I suggest notseemthat Atfirst translation, glanceitmay silence. Yet of subaltern issue needed to address is Spivak's Spivak's of the thelackof actionon behalf of herquestion implies framing the a Kantian in other words, subaltern; yardstick privigrants Spivak thesubaltern. shemeasures a metastandard bywhich legeofcreating the of rejects Spivak language Kantianism, lingering Despitethis she at all. notionthatthereis a metastandard EchoingDerrida, hasaccess.132 towhich isno "outside" there asserts Benjamin's anyone be must scholar theWestern cannotexist; always language" "perfect Yet this other.133 of the of knowledge awareof the "inaccessibility" favorable could be overcome, conditions, byan given inaccessibility an rather thanseeking imaginary the other, to "translate" attempt as can be explained this"translation" that It is possible "knowledge." "know." to rather than simplyas a desire to "understand," to power and domination.) linked is always ofcourse, ("Knowledge," for be calling a deeperanalysis couldsimply In this sense, Spivak one that recognizesthe extentof difference of the subaltern, more radical thata slightly I suggest cultures. between However, that one is "translatOne must is necessary. recognize fully approach If other. the to accurately an ability "[c]ulturai signify ing"without of horizon the translation wasalways translation," literary implicitly ofthe theimplicated must thenthetranslator relationship recognize other as to the "If is a relation there and the subaltern: Westerner "knowlone based on not be an ethical ... itcan only other relation,"

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

/.Maggio 435

understood in Hence, we mustrecognize that translation, edge."134 the broadest sense, can help us understand,respect,the subaltern. of text one can assume thattranslation Givenan expansivedefinition mostofwhichare aimed at making a wide variety of activities, "covers textsaccessibleto people who do not knowthe language." to applyto all I suggestthatwe expand the notion of translation In and social this one can see "arguof culture sense, practices. types in the aesthetic. This ments"in thenonrationaland "valueassertions" notion of "translation" solves some Spivakianproblemsby interpretlife.If,as noted above, cultural ing the subalterncultureof everyday has alwaysbeen implied in literary then this translation translation, subaltern takes this to to the merely implication its pragapproach the cultureof the subaltern maticconclusion. Of course, translating is a difficult and depth. task,and it takes great patience, empathy, notes hard it is to translate the when "the how literary Spivak original is not writtenin one of the languages of northwestern Europe"; of the subalternculturewould likelybe even hence, the translation more difficult.135 Michel de Certeau arguesthatone should study the culturalpractaskspeople do everyday."136 tices of daily culture,the "repetitive Certeau translates Givenhis examinationof the everyday, the logic of neighborhoodsand of cooking: in a neighborhood On theone hand,living to family according structure of thestreet," recallsthe "swarming whichis practices of activities also the anthill-like structure punctuated byspaces and relationships. On theotherhand,culinary virtuosities establish the plurallanguageof stratified of multiple relahistories, On theotherhand,culinary virtuosities establish the tionships. of multiple histories, plurallanguageof stratified relationships between and manipulation, offundamental enjoyment languages out in details.137 everyday spelled As seen in the above-quotedpassage, the "everyday" cultureof neighborhoods and cookeryconveys an argumentabout the natureof life, about the values bywhichwe do, and should, live. In fact,even boringness and boredom communicatea great deal about cultures.138 cultureas it is practiced,not in whatis mostvalued by "Considering official or economic politics,but in what upholds it representation and organizes it, three priorities stand out: orality, operations,and the ordinary."139 the oral, and the ordinary Hence, the everyday, ethical,and ontologicalvalues. expressepistemological, In this sense, the subaltern "silence" can be translated,either of the throughthe literalsilence or as a poststructuralist symptom

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

436

BeHeard?" 'Van the Subaltern

With Certeau's notion of the everyday, dominantlanguage.140 eleof shifting, ideas about the "series Lefebvre's interconnecting of translation of the submode ments" uniteas a possible underlying is to translate the"conIn other to translate culture altern.141 words, stantprocess of producingmeaningsof and fromour social of laden with elements are always and thosemeaning experience," is a constant its and "Culture thepolitical: (and meanings pleasures) itis itis therefore ofsocialpractices; succession inherently political, redistribution of in and the distribution involved possible centrally is a help culture forms various ofsocialpower."142 Hence,to translate thepolitical in understanding logicofthesubaltern. becauseitrenders Translation is also a useful transparapproach reinforce definite of communication thatcertain enttheways forms Staten points out that this and social chauvinisms. hierarchies connectionis apparent in the argumentbetween form/status written nature ofChinese and ReyChowaboutthephonetic Derrida norm on the relies "Chow logo-phonocentric as uncritically language: formarginalizing the Derrida criticizes Chow a value."143 Ironically, forthe dominant time at the same while Chinese affirming language, value Thistype ofnormative ofphonetic-based malstatus languages. a "translais what of the communication in the hidden exactly form can helpmitigate. ofthesubaltern tion" - to theextent down that itbreaks In this sense, writing Spivak's also acts discourse ofphilosophical/academic barriers thestandard Like Sati discourse. forms ofWestern thestandard as critique against as a subversive or Bhanduri's text, suicide, operates writing Spivak's or interpreted. translated one that can be either "[EJconomic power thatis, the and exceededby semiotic is bothunderpinned power, or culture to translate In other to makemeanings."144 words, power theunderlying is to implicitly discourse texts intoWestern critique ofcommunication. forms ofdifferent normative assumptions the oftranslating a notion most and possibly importantly, Finally, a self-aware is always translator theWestern that subaltern recognizes - is - the "other" which the other mediatorthrough contingent "fixof the avoids theSpivakian Thisapproach understood. problem of nature theconditional becauseit recognizes of thesubaltern ity" as the subaltern. ofboththedominant theconstitution groupas well and or thesubaltern, is constituted critic The Western bytheother, the dominant its relation to vis--vis is also constructed thesubaltern for of meanings as thestructure groups."[T]hereis no suchthing woven for one is of of his interpretation them; himindependently of takes theform Thisinside/outside intotheother."145 relationship Derrida debt to admits her herself association. a Derridean Spivak on thepersistence and itsreliance and to hisdeconstructive analysis

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

/.Maggio 437

In this sensetheWestern translator isalways ofself-presence.146 critic/ in a dialectic a the subaltern dialectic that constiwith relationship bothcontingent entities. Ofcourse, as Benjamin the"pritutes writes, concern ofthegenuine translator remains elusive."147 mary in thecontext Yetthetranslator exists ofa historical relationship. In fact,it is "one of the most powerful and fruitful historical" Given this historical an of process, approach "translatprocesses.148 the subaltern call fora morefluidepistemolfulfills ing" Spivak's It also the ofthesubaltern allows tobe ogy.149 directly understanding a mediated via that Marxist/Derridean self-consciously strategy - meets somewhat thestrict standards elaborated bySpivak.150 in "Can theSubaltern GivenSpivak's criticisms Speak?"translationis a moreappropriate rolethan"representation." As Benjamin, and others a "translator" is aware that out, Spivak, point always keenly sheor he is notoffering a work that is equivalent with the"original," noris she or he offering a wholly In other translation. "imaginative" neither nor vertreten are in the act oftranswords, dartelling implied The translator lation. is certainly to an trying "capture" aspectofthe and but is not to "represent" or that, (vertreten) original convey trying the (dartelling) original. "re-present" Thisis implied, to a certain in Charles notion of extent, Taylor's which is not dissimilar to the strategy of "transla"interpretation," tion"thatI am suggesting. that"there is an Taylor acknowledges sensein which a meaning in a newmedium important reexpressed can not be declaredidentical."151 Translation a certain disimplies is the space forthe subaltern to speak. tance,and in thatdistance "A successful writes: Usingthe languageof "interpretation," Taylor is one which makesclearthemeaning interpretation originally preina confused, sent form. Buthowdoesone know fragmentary, cloudy that this is correct? becauseitmakes sense interpretation Presumably oftheoriginal text: Whatis strange, contradicmystifying, puzzling, is no longer so."152 tory Yetwith thecase ofthesubaltern, one must first decideto recognizethelanguage ofcommunication as a validmode.In other words, hardto listen to people in all oftheir forms ofcomwe(st)must try munication. The subaltern all thetime: We are simply unable speaks to hearthem. Some might thatit is nave to advocatea benevolent suggest in theWest translator a sympathetic whooffers ofthesubalreading tern. Thiscriticism iswelltaken, and itlingers in thethoughts ofthis in disparate writer. Yetscholars fields havebeen attempting thistype ofanalysis. Certeau's examination ofresidential is spaceand cookery a good example ofthistype ofcultural translation. Additionally, Joe Moran' s work also provides a good template forthisstyle ofcultural

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

438

BeHeard?" "Canthe Subaltern

of the meaning he investigates In Reading the translation: Everyday in at a bus stop and shopping as waiting such mundaneactivities in rooted somewhat Thereis also an intellectual malls.153 movement, as if theycommunicated to read inanimate"things" Marxism, therecogniwith somewhat hascollided This"thing ideas.154 theory" examinethehidden must often of thesubaltern tionthatthestudy or massculture.155 texts ofpopular, native, to notimpose must be sensitive subaltern translation Of course, Forexamontothecommunication. modeofdiscourse thedominant of texts the understands Robert (popular)culunderlying Ray ple, than morerevolutionary remains "TuttiFrutti' ture whenhe writes: of theWorld':Music'seffects is theNigger 'Woman always register less at the level of explicit politicalcontentthan at the level of communicates ofculture, likemost sound."156 Hence,music, aspects intellectual's is the Western It and nonrational in a nonexplicit way. - to transsubaltern the with is a discourse the duty assuming goal whilealways of the subaltern, and languages late theculture being takesplace in Once thistranslation awareof her role as translator. have a somewhat thentheWestcan, hopefully, earnest, open diaand about subaltern with the values,ontology, oppression, logue theory. political
* * *

solution to theSpivakian a possible I havepresented In thisarticle intellectual that the Western notion on the rests puzzle.Thissolution of the silence of the notion thesubaltern. must"translate" Spivak's the active Western biastoward a Kantian subaltern "speaker" betrays idea.In this is a hegemonic howtheWestern and shows sense, subject in modern"democof thedebateabout"representation" theterms are thesubaltern thesensein which are implicated racies" through for. accounted seekto can neither institution a democratic On Spivak's account, for both or through ignore "authenticity," through "proxy" represent outsideplayin subaltern therole thatthepowerful/ and/orinside/ democraofWestern this criticism Ifone takes actitself. thepolitical the for allow somehow thenone wouldwishto cies seriously, repreconis a Western "allowance" Yeteventhis ofthesubaltern. sentation the world act humans that thenotion and itreinforces vention, upon to be included Forthesubaltern will. a Kantian-subjective through and their difference their for one must accounted ability recognize we I wouldarguethat In fact, in non-Kantian to communicate ways. from the Kantian the toripapart as a way use translation must subject of"representation." notions democratic of translation, methods Putanother byusingself-conscious way, and the can activist writer thecareful and/or investigate "arguments"

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

/.Maggio 439

of thesubaltern. It is my culture made bytheeveryday "assertions" in her is to do that this iswhat contention reading Spivak attempting of the Bhaduri suicide. Yet Spivak, as if she is stuck in a for thedeliberate actofspeakKantian/Cartesian looking loop,isstill the subaltern in the of to listen to instead many ways attempting ing, I believe a dialoguecanbe openedwith communicate. they bywhich This is a dialoguethatpolitical theorists shouldtake thesubaltern. seriously. Notes
I wouldliketo thank Rose Kohn, Peet, Forshee, Jessica Jennifer Margaret and inspiraMoon,Mary Dietz,and NaomiNelsonforcomments, support, tion. "Can the Subaltern 1. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Speak?"in Colonial

York: Columbia Press, 1992),pp. 66-111. University in theNew theSubaltern 2.JillDidurand TeresaHeffernan, "Revisting Cultural Studies 17 (2003): 1-15;at 2. Empire/' 3. Spivak, note1, p. 66. 4. Ibid.,p. 102. Present Harvard Press, 1999), Vanishing (Cambridge: University History ofthe p. 334. 6. Ibid.,p. 205. 7. Ibid.,p. 208. 8. Spivak, note1,p. 91. 9. Ibid. 10. Spivak, note5, p. 311. 11. J. G. A. Pocock,"The Politicsof History: The Subaltern and the 6 (1998): 219-234;at 200. Political Subversive," /<mrw/ of Philosophy an Exampleof Spivak," 12. DavidHuddart, "Making Angelaki: Journal of Theoretical Humanities 6 (April 2001): 35-36;at 38. 13. Raka Shome and Radha S. Hedge, "Postcolonial Approachesto Communication: Charting Terrain, Engaging the Intersections," Communication 12 (August 2002): 249-270;at 265. Theory and Others (London:Verso, 2003),p. 160. 15. Didurand Heffernan, note2, p. 2. 16. Huddart, note12,p. 37. 17.Forest and the'Lever' Pyle, "'Bya Certain Subreption': Gayatri Spivak oftheAesthetic," 4 (2002): 186-190;at 187. Interventions 18. BartMoore-Gilbert, Postcolonial (London:Verso, 1997),p. 81. Theory 19. Spivak, note1, p. 71 (quoting Marx). 20. Ibid.,p. 70 (emphasis added). Devadasand Brett "Postcolonial Interventions: 21.Vijay Nicholls, Gayatri Three Wise Men and the Native Critical Horizons 3 Informant," Spivak, (2002): 73-101;at 83. note1, p. 74. 22. Spivak, 23. Ibid.,p. 70. 24. Ibid.,p. 67.
14. TerryEagle ton, Figures ofDissent:Critical Essayson Fish, Spivak,Zizek, Reason: Toward 5. GayatriChakravorty a ofPostcolonial Spivak,A Critique

eds. P. Williams and L. Chrisman (New Discourse and Post-Colonial Theory,

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

440

Be Heard?" "Can theSubaltern

25. Ibid.,p. 68. 26. Ibid.,p. 67. note2, p. 12. 27. Didurand Heffernan, note5, p. 199. 28. Spivak, 29. Ibid.,p. 203. note2, p. 2. 30. Didurand Heffernan, note5, p. 202 (footnote 31. Spivak, omitted). note1, p. 69. 32. Spivak, 33. Ibid.,p. 80. 34. Ibid.,p. 88. 35. Ibid.,p. 89. note5, p. 323. 36. Spivak, 37. Spivak, note1, p. 87. 38. Ibid.,p. 89. 39. Spivak, note5, p. 323. 40. Ibid.,p. 336. 41. Spivak, note1, p. 97. 42. Ibid.,p. 97. 43. Ibid.,p. 98. note2, p. 3. 44. Didurand Heffernan, theact out that it is ironicthatpeople never 45. Spivak question points is corI am notsuggesting that fora widow. ofcelibacy Spivak Additionally, forexample, that I am notsure, notion ofculture. rectaboutKant's Spivak that Yetit is interesting and Hannah Arendt agree on Kant'saesthetics. on "culture." self to be the Kantian understands Spivak dependent note2, p. 3. 46. Didurand Heffernan, note21,p. 76. 47. Devadasand Nicholls, in original). 48. Spivak, note5, pp. 12-14 (footnotes omitted; emphasis ofSpivak. to Pyle's hereis indebted 49. Myunderstanding interpretation note17,p. 189. 50. Pyle, note21,p. 84. 51. Devadasand Nicholls, note2, p. 4. 52. Didurand Heffernan, 53. Ibid. note18,p. 89. 54. Moore-Gilbert, 55. Ibid.,pp. 81, 88. note1,p. 79. 56. Spivak, 57. Spivak, note5, p. 344. note18,p. 91. 58. Moore-Gilbert, note2, p. 4. 59. Didurand Heffernan, note12,p. 38. 60. Huddart, 4 Interventions 61. MarkSanders, Reading-Otherwise," "Representation: (2002): 198-204;at 200. note2, p. 4. 62. Didurand Heffernan, 63. Ibid.,p. 6. note21,p. 81. 64. Devadasand Nicholls, 65. Ibid. note18,p. 77. 66. Moore-Gilbert, and Spivak on thePlace 67. ColinWright, "Centrifugal Logics:Eagleton and 43 (2002): of 'Place' in Postcolonial Culture, Theory, Critique Theory," 67-82;at 68. note5, p. 309. 68. Spivak, note18,p. 104. 69. Moore-Gilbert,

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

/.Maggio 441

on UpwardMobility," "Soul Making: 70. BruceRobbins, Gayatri Spivak 17 (2003): 16-26; at 13, 18; Purushottama Cultural Studies Bilimoria, "Postcolonial Critiqueof Reason: Spivak BetweenKant and Matilal," 4 (2002): 160-167;at 166. Interventions 71. Eagleton, note14,p. 167. note18,p. 86. 72. Moore-Gilbert, 73. Ibid. 74. Ibid. and the 75. See, forexample, PratapBhanu Mehta,"Cosmopolitanism Circle of Reason,"Political 28 (October 2000): 619-639; Arash Theory On The Alleged an Other? "Does Collective Abizadeh, Identity Presuppose PolticalScience Review 99 American Incoherenceof Global Solidarity," 45-60. 2005): (February note12,p. 38. 76. Huddart, note2, p. 11. 77. Didurand Heffernan, 78. Shomeand Hedge,note 13,p. 266. 30 (August2002): 79. Wendy Brown,"AtThe Edge," Political Theory 556-576;at 556. note61,pp. 198-204;at 201,202. 80. Sanders, ofRobbins's comnote 18,p. 104,foran analysis 81. See Moore-Gilbert, ments. note12,p. 36. 82. Huddart, 83. Ibid. note14,p. 158. 84. Eagleton, 85. Ibid. and litthis can be saidofmuchphilosophy, 86. Ibid.Ofcourse, criticism, - apparently - endinga sendoes notmind erature. Additionally, Eagleton a preposition. tencewith brethren are all 87. Spivakmight agree thatshe and her postcolonial that theconclusion butI doubtshe wouldconcurwith native informants, are lazy. suchcritics 88. Eagleton, note14,p. 164. 89. Ibid.,p. 165. note 12, includeAijazAhmadand BenitaParry; 90. Examples Huddart, p. 35. note12,p. 35. 91. Huddart, note75,p. 46. 92. Abizodez, note18,p. 84. 93. Moore-Gilbert, 94. Shomeand Hedge,note13,p. 266. note21,p. 84. 95. Devadasand Nicholls, in Nation, Into English," 96. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak,"Translating Princeton Press, 2005),pp. 93-110;at 104. (Princeton: University the 'Native Informant': Cultural Translation 97. Henry Staten, "Tracking in S. Bermann and M. Wood,eds., as theHorizonofLiterary Translation," Nation,Language,and theEthicsof Translation (Princeton:Princeton in original). Press, 2005),pp. 111-126;at 118 (emphasis University comment conto Foucault'sfamous 98. This is, of course,a reference cerning Hegel. note18,p. 87. 99. Moore-Gilbert, 100.Ibid.,p. 86. 101.Spivak, note5, p. 396,n. 113;Moore-Gilbert, p. 86.
eds. S. Bermann and M. Wood Language, and theEthics of Translation,

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

442

" "Can theSubaltern Be Heard?

York: 1990),p. 164. Routledge 104.Moore-Gilbert, note18,p. 102. 105.Ibid.,pp. 86-89. of History," 106. Pocock,"The Politics p. 221. Levinas'snotionof the is also implicated in this see Staten, note97, p. 113. other analysis; 107.Sangeeta "Ethical and Kincaid," Encounters: Alexander, Ray, Spivak, Studies 17 (2003): 42-55;at 93. Cultural 108.Didurand Heffernan, note2, p. 3. Illuminations Schocken 109.Walter Books,1968), (NewYork: Benjamin, p. 69. 110.Ibid.,p. 72. 111.Ibid.,p. 73. 112.Ibid.,p. 74. 113.Ibid.,p. 75. 114.SamuelWeber, "ATouchofTranslation: On Walter 'Task Benjamin's in S. Bermann and M. Wood,eds., Nation, of theTranslator,'" Language, and the Ethics Princeton Press, (Princeton: 2005), ofTranslation University pp. 65-78;at 66. 115.Benjamin, note109,pp. 75-76. 116.Ibid.,pp. 76-77. 117.Weber, note114, p. 77. Press, 1998),p. 5. (London:Oxford University 119.Joe Moran,Reading the (London:Routledge, 2005), p. 22. Everyday ofBarthes is somewhat indebted to Morangenerally. Myunderstanding ofEveryday a 120.HenriLefebvre, Life, vol.2, Foundations for Critique Moore(London:Verso, trans. 2002),p. 276. Sociological ofthe Everyday, John note119,p. 22. 121.Moran, 122.Ibid.,p. 23. note118,p. 18. 123.Steiner, 124.Ibid.,p. 19. note114,p. 65. 125.Weber, note21,p. 92. 126.Devadasand Nicholls, 127.Ibid.,p. 85. note96, p. 105. 128.Spivak, 129.Ibid.,p. 95. 130.Ibid.,p. 93. 131.Ibid.,p. 104. note18,p. 104. 132.Moore-Gilbert, 133.Staten, note97, p. 116. herereferences Levinas. 134.Ibid.,p. 113.Staten note96, p. 94. 135.Spivak, note119,p. 10. 136.Moran, The Practice 137.Michelde Certeau, of Everyday Life (Berkeley: University ofCalifornia Press, 1984),p. 3. 138.Moran, note119,p. 11. 139.Certeau, note138,p. 251. is essentially does 140.Staten, note97,p. 117.Ofcourse, this what Spivak in "Can the Subaltern Speak?"Statenpointsout thatthissymptomatic in Spivak's ofToniMorrison. "silence" is also evident reading
118. George Sterner,After Babel: Aspectsof Language and Translation

103. Robert Young, White and theWest(New Mythologies: Writing History

note18,p. 99. 102.Moore-Gilbert,

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

/.Maggio 443

MIT Press, 1994),pp. 181-212;at 193. (Cambridge: 146.Spivak, note5, pp. 321-322. 147.Benjamin, note109,p. 75. 148.Ibid.,p. 73. note2, p. 2. 149.Didurand Heffernan, 150.Devadasand Nicholls, note21, p. 89. 151.Taylor, note146,p. 182. 152.Ibid.,p. 183. 153.Moran, note119, generally. Fora good example oftheways ofreadsee Fernando to theSubaltern: state, Coronil, "Listening ingthesubaltern ofNeocolonial Poetics 15 (Winter The Poetics States," 1994):643-658. Today 154. Good examplesinclude LorraineDaston,ed., Things ThatTalk: Zone Books, Lessons Art andScience (NewYork: 2004); BillBrown, from Object ofChicagoPress, Edwards ed., Things 2004); Elizabeth (Chicago:University
Histories: and Janice Hart,eds., Photographs On the Objects Materiality ofImages

Martin and L. C. Mclntyre,eds., Readingsin Philosophy of Social Science

141.Moran, note119,p. 23. the 142.John Fiske, (London:Unwin 1989),p. 1 Hyman, Reading Popular mine). (emphasis 143.Staten, note97, p. 119. 144.Fiske, note143,pp. 9-10. 145. CharlesTaylor, and the Sciencesof Man,"in M. "Interpretation

2004). (London:Routledge: 155. Paul Rich and GuillermoDe los Reyes,"PopularCultureand andCriminal Multi-Tiered Subaltern, Gender, Latino, Reality," Reconstructing Studies 30 (Fall 1996): 29-37;at 32. RockCriticism "Critical v.Overcomprehension: 156.Robert Ray, Senility in S.Jones, andthe Press and theLessonoftheAvant-Garde," ed.,PopMusic in original). Press, 2002),p. 76 (emphasis University (Philadelphia: Temple

This content downloaded from 14.139.219.242 on Sun, 1 Sep 2013 06:53:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions