Epistemic Justice in Professional Recognition

Sor Juana's works were largely forgotten, suppressed, or attributed to others—a form of epistemic injustice where marginalized professionals are denied recognition for their intellectual contributions. Epistemic justice in professional contexts means actively working to credit whose knowledge counts, whose voice carries authority, and whose ideas are amplified or erased. This applies both to how individuals ensure their contributions are recognized and how institutions structure recognition systems. Modern professionals face similar epistemic injustice when their expertise is discounted based on identity, when contributions are appropriated by more privileged colleagues, or when knowledge from certain sources is systematically undervalued. This concept provides vocabulary for naming these dynamics and a framework for demanding fair epistemic recognition. It suggests that professional identity isn't merely individual achievement but collective practice—professionals must actively resist epistemic systems that erase certain voices while amplifying others, particularly those from historically marginalized groups.