Epistemic Justice for Young Voices

Sor Juana challenged the epistemic hierarchies of her time—systems that granted authority to certain voices while silencing others based on gender and social status. Epistemic justice for children means acknowledging that young people possess valid knowledge about their own experiences, communities, and ideas, even when adults dismiss them. In children's rights contexts, this framework combats the tendency to treat children as passive recipients of adult wisdom rather than active knowers. It demands that child participation in decisions affecting them—from family matters to educational policy—be treated as genuine contributions, not merely symbolic gestures. Schools, institutions, and families practicing epistemic justice create spaces where children's observations, questions, and proposals reshape collective understanding. Sor Juana's model shows how marginalized voices become revolutionary when finally heard and honored.