In contemporary society, transparency is often regarded as a symbol of democracy and progress. However, this pursuit of transparency frequently intertwines with governance, surveillance, and self-discipline.

 

Opacity as a Survival Strategy

 

Wendy Brown (2006) observes that neoliberal governance transcends mere economic logic, constituting instead a political project to reshape subjects. Within this framework, individuals are compelled to continually explain, expose, and optimise themselves.

 

For marginalised subjects, opacity is not a refusal to engage with society, but rather a means of avoiding excessive governance.

 

Histories from Below

 

Histories from below do not seek to document every experience comprehensively. Instead, they focus on practices that remain unarchived and unsystematised. These “unseen” histories are not gaps, but rather a rejection of mainstream knowledge structures.