2.2 Defining Epistemic Injustice
The videos throughout this chapter show many different forms of systemic discrimination, including racism, sexism, and ableism. Each could also be considered examples of epistemic injustice, or injustice related to knowledge.
This type of harm is described in many different ways by scholars and activists. Philosophers like Miranda Fricker (2007 
) often get credit for coining the term epistemic injustice, but related concepts from Indigenous and decolonial scholars like “cognitive imperialism” (Battiste, 2018), epistemicide (Sousa Santos, 2011), or “coloniality of knowledge” (Quijano, 2011) must not be overlooked.
In this resource, we’ll rely on the following definitions:
Definition
).We can recognize epistemic injustice when other people:
- Deny that our opinions are valid or that we are reliable because of our social identities (e.g., who is considered a ‘credible witness’ in court)
- Erase, discount, or destroy our language, cultural practices, and ways of knowing (e.g., cultural genocide of Indigenous peoples by the Government of Canada)
- Purposefully keep us isolated from others who are like us or from folks with similar experiences (e.g., the “Me Too” movement)
- Do not understand our needs (which we may not even understand ourselves) because people like us have been kept out of mainstream society (e.g., ableism)
Definition
).Examples of Epistemic Injustice
Epistemic injustice is a systemic issue that affects how knowledge is shared and valued. It can show up anywhere people learn or use knowledge, including in schools, healthcare, and everyday life.
Choose one of the two videos below to see a real-life example of epistemic injustice. As you watch, consider: How does the concept of intersectionality, introduced in Chapter 1, relate to epistemic injustice?
This video features the voice of Imani Barbarin, a disability rights and inclusion activist and speaker who uses her voice and social media platforms to create conversations engaging the disability community.
This video features asexual content creators speaking about their experiences within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Aubri (@acesexeducator) then relates these videos to Miranda Fricker’s definition of epistemic injustice.
Activity 2.2: Stop and Reflect
The videos you have watched in this chapter show examples of epistemic injustice in various real-life settings. But how does this relate to your own experience? Take a moment to reflect on the following questions:
- Can you think of a time in your own life when certain types of knowledge or voices were undervalued or hidden from you? Has your own lived experience ever been ignored or considered invalid?
- For example: How do you think epistemic injustice might be impacting your own social media feeds? Search engine results? University education?
All activities can also be found in a downloadable workbook. Visit the ‘Using this Resource‘ page to access the workbook in MS Word and PDF formats.
A type of epistemic injustice used to describe the "killing, silencing, annihilation, or devaluing of a knowledge system" (Sousa Santos 2011).
