Epistemic Justice in Testimony

Sor Juana, as a woman and a figure of mixed heritage in colonial Mexico, faced systematic dismissal of her intellectual authority. Her insights were often discounted not because they lacked merit, but because her identity did not match who institutions deemed credible. This mirrors how corruption investigations often fail: the testimony of poor communities, women, Indigenous peoples, and workers is devalued or ignored, while powerful figures are presumed truthful. Epistemic justice means restructuring how we validate knowledge and evidence. It requires actively centering the voices of those harmed by corruption, training investigators to counteract their own biases, and creating accountability mechanisms that don't require victims to be perfect narrators. Sor Juana teaches that intellectual authority cannot be granted only to elites. Fighting corruption demands listening carefully to those closest to the wrongdoing, regardless of their social position, education level, or access to formal platforms.