Resisting epistemic exploitation: From institutional remedies to community-based research

Abstract

This study examines epistemic exploitation in the context of social scientific and other research with human participants. Despite researchers' good intentions, attempts to engage members of marginalized social groups can involve elements of epistemic exploitation. Epistemic exploitation occurs when privileged persons compel marginalized persons to produce an education about the nature of the oppression they face. Epistemic exploitation is harmful not only to those who are exploited but also to research that depends on people's voluntary participation. It increases the risk that potential research participants systematically decline invitations to participate in research. To illustrate this, I discuss the phenomenon of research fatigue in studies of the Sámi, Indigenous people living in Northern Europe. While research fatigue can be interpreted as resistance to epistemic exploitation, it has a downside. It prevents people from enjoying the benefits of research that could improve their lives in many ways. I discuss four types of institutional remedies to epistemic exploitation: raising awareness, allocating resources for education, rewarding epistemic diversity work, and requiring ethical review. Acknowledging the limitations of institutional interventions, I argue that community-based research is a promising avenue for counteracting epistemic exploitation.