The Experience of Epistemic Injustice in Volunteering: The Case of Community Organizations in Quebec

Community organizations aim to promote social and environmental justice but can still reproduce injustice in their participatory and decision-making processes. To understand how that may be the case, we examine the testimonies of volunteers and citizens involved in community organizations in the province of Quebec, in Canada. These individuals, all from minority backgrounds, describe their experiences of epistemic injustice, which corresponds to situations where they are limited in producing or transmitting knowledge in social interactions. In that sense, epistemic injustice hinders their engagement in their respective organization. This article analyzes how experiences of epistemic injustice shape social interactions. It also provides concrete solutions to help organizations promote epistemic justice among their own membership.