FROM SILENCE TO SPEECH, DISRUPTING PATRIARCHY AND EXTREMISM: SUBALTERN RESISTANCE IN I AM MALALA

Abstract

This article explores I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai through the theoretical framework of Antonio Gramsci’s concepts of hegemony and counter-hegemony. It examines how Malala’s memoir becomes a site of ideological resistance against dominant power structures such as patriarchy, religious extremism, and global political narratives. Through close textual analysis, the study highlights the ways in which Malala’s personal experiences, educational advocacy, and international activism reflect a Gramscian counter-hegemonic consciousness. The paper argues that I Am Malala is not only a personal testimony of survival but also a cultural intervention that contests both local and global hegemonies. It illustrates how the subaltern voice, shaped by education, civil engagement, and strategic media use, can challenge systemic oppression and construct alternative ideological narratives.