A Critical Analysis of the Projection of Historical Narratives of the Indian Tribal People in "Our Past III"

Author

Sudhashree Girmohanta, The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkFollow

Date of Degree

2-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Program

Liberal Studies

Advisor

Wendy Luttrell

Subject Categories

Curriculum and Instruction | Indigenous Education

Keywords

History textbook, Tribal people, historical narrative, Ideology, Epistemic injustice, Epistemic violence, Oral narrative

Abstract

A critical analysis of the historical narratives of the Indian tribal people in the Indian history textbook, Our Past III part I, that has been published by the National council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is used across every central school in India, reveals an overwhelming presence of dominant ideology. It has been played a pivotal role of the selection and representation of the tribal narratives in the textbook. These ideological features include but not limited to the following: tribal peoples are essentialized and presented as homogenous; their religious faiths are not held with the same regard as Hinduism; tribal people’s knowledge and languages are devalued; and finally, tribal peoples’ alternative notions of childhood, including child labor are dismissed. The subsistence living which is key to Indian tribal life is presented as less worthy than the skilled labor jobs and professional careers held by the majority of Indians. This research will argue that the textbook promotes epistemic injustice by neglecting to include tribal people to narrate their history and include their own experiences and knowledge into the textbook.

Recommended Citation

Girmohanta, Sudhashree, "A Critical Analysis of the Projection of Historical Narratives of the Indian Tribal People in "Our Past III"" (2020). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3590