Epistemic Justice and Epistemic Injustice

Sor Juana's experiences illuminate what contemporary philosophy calls epistemic injustice: the systematic dismissal of marginalized people's knowledge claims and intellectual contributions. As a woman, a colonial subject, and one of lower economic standing, Sor Juana faced constant questioning of her authority to speak on theological, philosophical, and scientific matters. This concept explores how poverty intersects with other forms of marginalization to silence voices and deny intellectual credibility. When identity is shaped by poverty, society often presumes incompetence, restricting opportunities to contribute knowledge and participate in intellectual discourse. Sor Juana's defiant assertion of her intellectual authority models resistance to such epistemic erasure. Understanding epistemic injustice reveals how poverty operates not merely as material deprivation but as systematic invalidation of one's capacity to know and speak truth. This framework empowers individuals experiencing poverty to recognize and resist the systematic denial of their intellectual credibility and rightful place in knowledge-creation communities.