Bailey Thomas
Postdoctoral Scholar
Dartmouth College
Towards a Black Feminist Epistemological Framework: An Examination of Oppositional Knowledge"
This essay contends that Patricia Hill Collins’ notion of “oppositional knowledge” is imperative for the survival of Black women, femmes, and non-men. This epistemological tool, I will note, is similar what José Medina calls “epistemic resistance,” with one difference being that oppositional knowledge does not heavily emphasize or rely on outward expressions of resistance. One reasons why this reliance can be problematic is because it may presuppose that those who are marginalized are seeking the recognition of their oppressors. As I will demonstrate, oppositional knowledge aids in the creation of alternative epistemic frameworks that validate the lives and lived experiences of Black non-men without depending upon the recognition of dominant epistemic frameworks and/or the subjects that create said frameworks. Additionally, this epistemological tool provides valuable ethical-political resources that present new ways for Black non-men to care for each other and cultivate spaces where they can resist against the epistemic injustice and oppression that they endure from broader public.