Who Shapes Development Knowledge? Epistemic Justice, Local Context, and Why It Matters
In international development, we often focus on funding, institutions, policy, and impact. But there’s a deeper layer we don’t always stop to consider: **Whose knowledge is guiding the work in the first place?**
This is what philosophers call *epistemic justice*. It’s about fairness in who gets to be heard, trusted, and taken seriously as a “knower.” When certain voices—often those closest to the challenges—are overlooked, development risks becoming misaligned or even harmful. When knowledge is shared and co-created, change becomes more context-driven, sustainable, and just.
