Home Philosophy The Standpoint of the Oppressed Must Be Conquered by the Oppressed Class Itself: Standpoint Epistemology and Epistemic Autonomy
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

The Standpoint of the Oppressed Must Be Conquered by the Oppressed Class Itself: Standpoint Epistemology and Epistemic Autonomy

  • Yorgos Karagiannopoulos
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
Explore this Subject How to publish with us
Epistemic Resistance, Radical Politics, Positionality
This chapter is in the book Epistemic Resistance, Radical Politics, Positionality

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.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. Introduction: From Social Movements to Philosophy (and Back Again) 1
  4. Section 1: At the Intersection Between Academia and Social Movements
  5. Critical Social Ontology and Social Movements 13
  6. Social Movements and Epistemic Injustice 35
  7. Feminist Research as a Response to Political and Epistemic Violences 45
  8. Section 2: Contemporary Approaches to the Philosophy of Social Movements
  9. Social Ontology and Social Movements
  10. Toward a Liberatory Metaphysics of Sexuality 59
  11. The Political Ontology of Rawls’ Model of Disobedience: Depoliticization Through Moralization 77
  12. Social Movements and Epistemology
  13. How Social Movements Bear Collective Duties 103
  14. How Politics Shapes the Value of Perceptual Experience: From Epistemic to Prudential Value 121
  15. The Standpoint of the Oppressed Must Be Conquered by the Oppressed Class Itself: Standpoint Epistemology and Epistemic Autonomy 143
  16. Section 3: How Specific Social Movements Inform Philosophy
  17. Climate Social Movements and the Politics of Leadership 169
  18. Viral Social Movements, State(s) of Emergency, and the Insurgent Public Realm: A Philosophical Analysis of China’s 2020 – 2022 Social Movements 187
  19. Anchoring Disablement: Social Definitions and Social Ontology in Britain’s Disabled People’s Movement 207
  20. European Health Social Movements: An Introduction 229
  21. List of Contributors 251
  22. Index 253
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111193748-009

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. Introduction: From Social Movements to Philosophy (and Back Again) 1
  4. Section 1: At the Intersection Between Academia and Social Movements
  5. Critical Social Ontology and Social Movements 13
  6. Social Movements and Epistemic Injustice 35
  7. Feminist Research as a Response to Political and Epistemic Violences 45
  8. Section 2: Contemporary Approaches to the Philosophy of Social Movements
  9. Social Ontology and Social Movements
  10. Toward a Liberatory Metaphysics of Sexuality 59
  11. The Political Ontology of Rawls’ Model of Disobedience: Depoliticization Through Moralization 77
  12. Social Movements and Epistemology
  13. How Social Movements Bear Collective Duties 103
  14. How Politics Shapes the Value of Perceptual Experience: From Epistemic to Prudential Value 121
  15. The Standpoint of the Oppressed Must Be Conquered by the Oppressed Class Itself: Standpoint Epistemology and Epistemic Autonomy 143
  16. Section 3: How Specific Social Movements Inform Philosophy
  17. Climate Social Movements and the Politics of Leadership 169
  18. Viral Social Movements, State(s) of Emergency, and the Insurgent Public Realm: A Philosophical Analysis of China’s 2020 – 2022 Social Movements 187
  19. Anchoring Disablement: Social Definitions and Social Ontology in Britain’s Disabled People’s Movement 207
  20. European Health Social Movements: An Introduction 229
  21. List of Contributors 251
  22. Index 253
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 6.11.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783111193748-009/html?lang=en
Scroll to top button