Epistemic Injustice
Rob Sinclair, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
About Epistemic Injustice
Ever been in a situation where you weren’t believed—not because your facts were off, but because of who you are? That’s the heart of epistemic injustice, a powerful concept developed by philosopher Miranda Fricker. It’s all about how people can be wronged as knowers—how bias, stereotypes, and power imbalances can mess with whose voices get heard, whose experiences are taken seriously, and who’s considered “credible.”
Fricker breaks epistemic injustice into two main types. First, there’s testimonial injustice—that’s when someone’s word is unfairly doubted because of their identity. (Think: a woman being dismissed in a meeting, or a person of color not being believed when they report discrimination.) Then there’s hermeneutical injustice—when people can’t make sense of their own experiences or explain them to others, because society lacks the words or frameworks to understand them. (For example, before terms like “sexual harassment” existed, many people experienced it but had no way to name or challenge it.)
This concept is a game-changer in both philosophy and real life. It asks us to think critically about who gets taken seriously when they speak, and how social power can shape—even silence—knowledge. Fricker’s work connects philosophy to ethics, feminism, race, disability studies, and beyond. It’s not just about abstract ideas—it’s about justice, credibility, and whose voices we value.
Before You Read
Think about a time when you spoke up—but weren’t taken seriously. Or when someone explained their experience, and people brushed it off because “they’re probably exaggerating.” That’s what epistemic injustice is about: the unfair treatment people face as knowers.
Before diving in, ask yourself: Who gets to be seen as trustworthy in our culture? Who gets dismissed, or told they’re “too emotional,” “not objective,” or “making it up”? Philosophers like Miranda Fricker want us to zoom in on how knowledge and power intersect—and how ignoring this leads to real harm.
As you read, don’t just think about logic and arguments. Think about lived experiences. Who’s allowed to share them? And who’s still waiting to be heard?
Guiding Questions
- What is testimonial injustice, and what are some real-life examples?
- What is hermeneutical injustice, and how does it affect how people understand their own experiences?
- Why does Fricker think epistemic injustice is a moral problem, not just an intellectual one?
- How can we become more aware of and work against epistemic injustice in our own communities?
Where to find this reading
This contemporary text is not in the public domain or shared with a Creative Commons license. It can be accessed online at
