TheDaak review

Theme – Narratives: stories and silences

TheDaak invites book review submissions on the theme ‘Narratives: stories and silences’ for its fourth issue. 

History as Carr (1963) observes is a continuous interaction of historians with the facts and a never-ending dialogue between the past and the present. History can be seen as a series of narratives that reflect the ongoing interpretation and reinterpretation of past events. While the facts may remain the same, the way in which they are interpreted and framed can change over time. These changes reflect shifting cultural, social, and political contexts. It becomes crucial therefore, to bring in the importance of narratives in history.

Meta Narratives or Grand Narratives tend to be the projects of histories of power, education, and discipline. These are the narratives that one is born into. They are one of the primary ways through which ‘one makes sense of the world, produces meanings, articulates intentions and legitimate actions’ (Wibben: 2011). In the course of time, Meta Narratives tend to render certain histories silent. What we choose to tell ourselves and others, what facts are omitted, by whom and how often? are important questions. The silent voices of past and contemporary times stare at an abyss from a distance sometimes anxiously oozing out of the crevices and at others waiting patiently to be revived.

These Alternate Narratives in their course encounter being deliberately suppressed or being deemed insignificant to record and retain by power. Suppression is a calculated move intended to erase and construct a version of history to suit the needs and aspirations of those in power. To put it simply, history is written by the victors.

It is also important to note that these other voices have always been present- unheard, but present, subsumed in or eclipsed by the Grand Narrative. Alternative Narrative thus, is something new excavated. It is not the replacement of the Grand Narrative. It either enriches or impoverishes the Grand Narrative. It makes space for individuals at the margins. Same time, same space, silenced voices creating different stories, different histories. .

Hayden White would have us believe that narratives are stories. Stories that we tell each other about self and others. Stories that help us make sense of ourselves subsumed in the Grand Narrative. Hence, it may be important to bear in mind the subject positions and sociological context of the subject behind these narratives. The narratives as stories with characters tend to create and re-create a lifeworld in complex intersections of class, gender, race, ethnicity et cetera. The rise of Historiographic metafiction in the late 20th century has involved blurring the boundaries between fact and fiction and challenging traditional notions of historical truth.Through techniques such as intertextuality, parody, and fragmentation, historiographic metafiction highlights the subjectivity of historical accounts and questions the authority of the historian. It raises important questions about the relationship between history, memory, and narrative, and the ways in which they shape our understanding of the past and present. 

Discussions on books that speak to the theme of Narrative: stories and silences including questions of canonical history, archive and historiography, mythology, memory, folk and oral traditions, but not limited to these are welcome.

Please send your book reviews to Submission@thedaak.in The deadline for the same is 30th June 2023. The issue is due for publication on 15th July 2023.

Please note that if you are looking for a book recommendation on the current theme or want to discuss your book with our editorial team, you can write to us at  editor@thedaak.in

Editorial Team 

TheDaak