The Standpoint of the Oppressed Must Be Conquered by the Oppressed Class Itself: Standpoint Epistemology and Epistemic Autonomy
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Yorgos Karagiannopoulos
Abstract
How is the standpoint of the oppressed achieved? Those I call separatists argue that all have equal access to a given standpoint thereby separating the tight connection between social position and standpoint. By contrast, those I call unionists reason that the achievement of a standpoint is partially determined by one’s social position. In this chapter I side with the unionists. In defending unionism, I first show how the tension between separatists and unionists can be significantly diminished, if we distinguish between producing and possessing a standpoint. Separatists make a reasonable claim on the possession of a standpoint: Once created everyone should be able to access the knowledge originating from an oppressed standpoint. Unionists make a reasonable claim on the production of a standpoint: The production of the standpoint must be achieved by the oppressed themselves. If not, I argue, then their epistemic autonomy is violated.
Abstract
How is the standpoint of the oppressed achieved? Those I call separatists argue that all have equal access to a given standpoint thereby separating the tight connection between social position and standpoint. By contrast, those I call unionists reason that the achievement of a standpoint is partially determined by one’s social position. In this chapter I side with the unionists. In defending unionism, I first show how the tension between separatists and unionists can be significantly diminished, if we distinguish between producing and possessing a standpoint. Separatists make a reasonable claim on the possession of a standpoint: Once created everyone should be able to access the knowledge originating from an oppressed standpoint. Unionists make a reasonable claim on the production of a standpoint: The production of the standpoint must be achieved by the oppressed themselves. If not, I argue, then their epistemic autonomy is violated.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Introduction: From Social Movements to Philosophy (and Back Again) 1
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Section 1: At the Intersection Between Academia and Social Movements
- Critical Social Ontology and Social Movements 13
- Social Movements and Epistemic Injustice 35
- Feminist Research as a Response to Political and Epistemic Violences 45
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Section 2: Contemporary Approaches to the Philosophy of Social Movements
-
Social Ontology and Social Movements
- Toward a Liberatory Metaphysics of Sexuality 59
- The Political Ontology of Rawls’ Model of Disobedience: Depoliticization Through Moralization 77
-
Social Movements and Epistemology
- How Social Movements Bear Collective Duties 103
- How Politics Shapes the Value of Perceptual Experience: From Epistemic to Prudential Value 121
- The Standpoint of the Oppressed Must Be Conquered by the Oppressed Class Itself: Standpoint Epistemology and Epistemic Autonomy 143
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Section 3: How Specific Social Movements Inform Philosophy
- Climate Social Movements and the Politics of Leadership 169
- Viral Social Movements, State(s) of Emergency, and the Insurgent Public Realm: A Philosophical Analysis of China’s 2020 – 2022 Social Movements 187
- Anchoring Disablement: Social Definitions and Social Ontology in Britain’s Disabled People’s Movement 207
- European Health Social Movements: An Introduction 229
- List of Contributors 251
- Index 253
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Introduction: From Social Movements to Philosophy (and Back Again) 1
-
Section 1: At the Intersection Between Academia and Social Movements
- Critical Social Ontology and Social Movements 13
- Social Movements and Epistemic Injustice 35
- Feminist Research as a Response to Political and Epistemic Violences 45
-
Section 2: Contemporary Approaches to the Philosophy of Social Movements
-
Social Ontology and Social Movements
- Toward a Liberatory Metaphysics of Sexuality 59
- The Political Ontology of Rawls’ Model of Disobedience: Depoliticization Through Moralization 77
-
Social Movements and Epistemology
- How Social Movements Bear Collective Duties 103
- How Politics Shapes the Value of Perceptual Experience: From Epistemic to Prudential Value 121
- The Standpoint of the Oppressed Must Be Conquered by the Oppressed Class Itself: Standpoint Epistemology and Epistemic Autonomy 143
-
Section 3: How Specific Social Movements Inform Philosophy
- Climate Social Movements and the Politics of Leadership 169
- Viral Social Movements, State(s) of Emergency, and the Insurgent Public Realm: A Philosophical Analysis of China’s 2020 – 2022 Social Movements 187
- Anchoring Disablement: Social Definitions and Social Ontology in Britain’s Disabled People’s Movement 207
- European Health Social Movements: An Introduction 229
- List of Contributors 251
- Index 253