Translating the Subaltern Voice: A Cultural Studies Approach to Folk Narratives and Marginalized Identity in Contemporary Telugu Short Fiction

Abstract

This paper examines how the socio-cultural landscape, caste dynamics, and localized traditions of Andhra Pradesh are represented and transformed in contemporary Telugu short literature. Operating at the intersection of Postcolonial Theory and Cultural Studies, this study moves beyond purely linguistic analyses of literature to explore how regional writers use the short story format to document and critique systemic structures of power, agrarian change, and gender relations unique to the Deccan plateau and coastal Andhra regions. Specifically, the paper investigates the textual representation of subaltern identities and oral folklore, analyzing how marginalized communities employ regional idioms and folk customs as subversive tools against dominant, upper-caste socio-religious frameworks. Furthermore, the research addresses the cultural complexities involved in translating these deeply embedded regional narratives into English. Utilizing Lawrence Venuti’s concepts of "foreignization" and cultural fidelity, the study evaluates how translators negotiate specific Telugu kinship terms, rural-urban migration anxieties, and localized rituals (such as folk practices specific to districts like East Godavari and Kurnool) for a global audience. The paper demonstrates that contemporary Telugu fiction serves as an active cultural archive rather than a passive reflection of society. Ultimately, this study argues that through the reclamation of oral storytelling traditions and subaltern idioms, modern literature from Andhra Pradesh constructs a distinct regional discourse that challenges homogenized national narratives, offering instead a nuanced, decentralized understanding of identity and resistance in the regional global South.