Conference Program

This paper offers an interdisciplinary analysis of forms of epistemic justice in contemporary educational contexts. Drawing on the notion of epistemic injustice (Fricker, 2007) and subsequent theoretical developments, I aim to investigate how inequalities in epistemic credibility, access to interpretative frameworks, and participation in knowledge production impact educational practices and democratic processes. The paper argues that promoting collective agency requires learning environments capable of recognizing epistemic plurality and redistributing interpretive power (Freire, 2018). Methodologically, I will employ a qualitative approach based on focus groups (Frisina, 2010) among adolescents aged 15 to 18. This methodology allows us to observe dynamics of recognition, exclusion, and negotiation of meaning, consistent with a perspective on epistemic justice oriented toward the valorization of plural voices. The empirical analysis is complemented by a theoretical-critical reflection on the role of digital environments as potentially enabling but ambivalent spaces: while they can broaden access to knowledge and support collaborative practices, they also risk reproducing epistemic hierarchies through algorithmic logics and visibility asymmetries (Fricker, 2016). My aim is to highlight that a queer and decolonial pedagogy oriented toward epistemic justice must integrate dialogical practices, critical digital skills, and participatory models, strengthening democracy as a daily educational practice and challenging current educational institutions that reproduce hierarchies of gender, race, and sexuality.