If you can claim an identity why are you excluded from being subaltern?

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Hegemonic – Mechanism in which power is maintained. Ruling/Dominant in a social or political context (USA).
Subaltern - People excluded from hegemony (indigenous people). The roots of all things.
Identity – A process in which a person creates their own conception 


To be honest, I am completely unsure about these terms that we discussed in class because I have never heard of the term subaltern and hegemonic. Identity, I have been associated with in the past, but I was and still am vague defining the word and my own meaning of identity. 

Before civilization, there was only the subaltern because people were not yet global. Once humankind truly rose grouped together and realized the power they had together, hegemonic also came about. Now America is an example of a hegemonic currently because of how we stand globally. Like we talked about in class, how we as a nation have this pride is why we are an example of a hegemonic. 

Identity, as a term, I feel is an individual process that is unique. However, if we look at the terms we would use for our identity, they are shared among others like yourself. There may be overlaps or there may be one and the same. None the less, there is still terms that those use for their identity too. So I wonder if identity is unique only to ourselves. 

Looking at the question, there lies the solution. By claiming an identity, you in fact are claiming memberships in what you identify with. Subaltern, the definition of the term means the roots of all things, those who have yet to label themselves with others or have this shared knowledge of others like them. They are subaltern in their own mind.

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 14, 2015 at 1:21 PM

    It was interesting to read about your thoughts on the time before civilization and how everyone was considered to be a part of the subaltern. It made me wonder about the exact point in which our hegemonic state came about or when we realized we all had access to power. I also liked what you said about claiming an identity and how that comes along with claiming memberships. I think that's a good way of putting it, as though having an identity makes one look at themselves with a different perspective, one of which that includes those around them.

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