Epistemic Injustice Between Epistemology and Philosophy of Science

This course introduces and explores the philosophical topic of epistemic injustice, with particular attention to its position between (social and feminist) epistemology and philosophy of science. Practices of knowledge production are not socially neutral: individuals and groups can be excluded, discredited, misunderstood, or prevented from participating fully in epistemic practices. But what makes an injustice specifically epistemic?

The course begins with the central concepts and debates in the contemporary literature on epistemic injustice, including testimonial injustice, hermeneutical injustice, distributive injustice, epistemic trust and distrust. We examine how prejudices and structural inequalities can shape practices of testimony, interpretation, inquiry, and knowledge transmission.

The second part of the course connects debates on epistemic injustice with broader questions in epistemology, including social and feminist epistemology, race, implicit bias, and Indigenous knowledge.

The third part turns to philosophy of science, examining how epistemic injustice operates in scientific inquiry and in areas such as medicine and climate adaptation.

By engaging with contemporary work on epistemic injustice alongside debates in epistemology and philosophy of science, students will develop conceptual tools for analyzing the ethical, scientific, and epistemic dimensions of knowledge production. The course ultimately asks not only what it means to know, but also who is able to participate in the production of knowledge, whose experiences and perspectives become epistemically visible, and what more just forms of scientific and epistemic practice might require.

For each class, students are expected to read an article or book chapter of approximately 15–20 pages and prepare questions about the reading, which we will discuss and analyze together in class. The final two sessions of the course will be devoted to exploring specific topics in greater depth and addressing any remaining questions or points of difficulty.