Epistemic justice Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is the myth of decolonization?
The myth of decolonization is that the end of colonial rule creates the illusion of decolonization, yet global racial and economic hierarchies persist.
The myth suggests that political independence alone does not dismantle underlying power structures.
List five of the entangled/interconnected global hierarchies that sustain the colonial power matrix.
- Class/labour
- Spirituality
- Global Division of Labour
- Knowledge & Language
- State & Military Power
- Race & Ethnicity
- Gender & Sexuality
These hierarchies illustrate how colonial power dynamics continue to operate globally.
What is hermeneutic injustice?
Hermeneutic injustice is the injustice of having some significant area of one’s social experiences obscured from collective understanding owing to hermeneutical marginalization.
It involves the withholding of the necessary tools for certain social groups to articulate their experiences.
What is zero-point epistemology?
Zero-point epistemology is the supposedly ‘neutral’ or ‘objective’ perspective claimed by Western science & philosophy, critiqued by decolonial theorists for presenting its biases as universal truth.
This concept highlights the limitations of claiming objectivity in knowledge production.
What is social power?
Social power is a socially situated capacity to control others’ actions, manifesting in patterns of incredulity, misrepresentation, and silencing of certain groups.
Understanding social power is crucial for analyzing dynamics within societies.
What is epistemic injustice?
Epistemic injustice occurs when someone is wronged in their capacity as a knower, often through mechanisms like testimonial and hermeneutic injustice.
This concept addresses the unfair treatment of individuals based on their knowledge claims.
What is testimonial injustice?
Testimonial injustice happens when someone’s voice is given less credibility due to prejudice, such as assuming a Black woman’s experience is less trustworthy because of race and gender bias.
This reflects systemic biases that undermine the credibility of certain individuals.
What is harm done through testimonial injustice?
The primary harm from testimonial injustice occurs when one is wronged specifically in their capacity as a knower based on an identity prejudice.
This harm affects the individual’s ability to be recognized as a valid source of knowledge.
What is hermeneutic injustice?
Hermeneutic injustice is the withholding from a certain social group the proper tool with which to make sense of or articulate social experience.
This creates barriers for marginalized groups in expressing their lived realities.
Where is the harm done through hermeneutic injustice?
The harm from hermeneutic injustice arises because groups with lesser power are discriminated against by virtue of their social identity.
This discrimination limits their ability to voice and understand their experiences.
