Epistemic Freedom: Decolonising the Philosophy of Science

“From the vantage point of the colonized, a position from which I write, and choose to privilege, the term ‘research’ is inextricably linked to European imperialism and colonialism. The word itself, ‘research’, is probably one of the dirtiest words in the indigenous world’s vocabulary. (Decolonizing Methodologies – Linda Tuhiwai Smith, 1999: 1). 

What happens when we start to shift our focus from representation to epistemic freedom in the gendered, racialised and neoliberal university? How might our pedagogical and research practices change? In this session we will look at the implications of colonialism and imperialism on the philosophy of science and discuss the ways in which we may collectively move towards epistemic freedom. 

This session aims to:

• To start a conversation about the ways in which we as researchers cause harm to marginalised communities 

• To consider the ways in which we can move beyond representation to a space of reception and reciprocity

• To reflect on our positionality and complicity within the gendered, racialised and neoliberal university. 

Presentation 10-15mins. Bulk of the time will be for discussion and questions.