3.7 Conclusion

When teaching about epistemic injustice in the past, including sharing the examples used in Chapter 2, students have sometimes asked us: “If they’re so biased, why should we use academic journals at all?” By pointing out injustices within academic research, or applying a critical lens to empirical methods, were we suggesting that academic research has no value?

The answer, of course, is no. Scientific research has played a vital role in helping us understand the world—from public health to climate change —and each of us benefits from this knowledge every day. We (your chapter authors) have all chosen to work within academia because we believe in the power of education and research.

But believing in the value of research doesn’t mean ignoring its biases or limitations. Instead, practicing knowledge justice requires approaching our own worldview with humility. It means both recognizing where our ways of knowing have edges and learning from other perspectives with care and openness.

Now that we know more about knowledge justice, how do you go about finding those diverse voices, in a system that privileges Eurowestern values? We share three concrete strategies for inclusive searching in Chapter 4.