Epistemic injustice: Reconstructing and deconstructing problematizations in psychological research

Abstract:

After discussing varieties of epistemic injustice, the concept of epistemological violence is presented, which locates epistemic problems in the context of interpretation of results in empirical psychology. Locating violence in this context is a critical-strategic decision to convince and sensitize the psychological community about the consequences of data interpretations as well as allow persons targeted to invoke a tool for challenging empirical research in psychology. Concrete examples are provided to advance the concept. Critically, is argued that epistemic injustice not only occurs in the context of interpretation, but also in the contexts of discovery, justification and translation and is embedded within a white epistemology. It is emphasized that epistemic injustice is not confined to people but can be expressed in relation to (psychological) objects or events. To overcome epistemic injustice in relation to persons and groups, basic methodological research requirements are laid out that are conceptualized as conditions for the possibility of overcoming epistemic injustice