The Concept of Epistemic Violence - Term Paper Example

Critical Gender Study Analytical Paper Prompt Epistemic violence is a violence executed through knowledge. Most of the times, it leads to domination of one component of the society in respect to the rest. It registers a higher prevalence hence becoming one of the reasons that has created the development of power and chains of command in the society .It occurs in many ways in the day to day lives of the people in a society and it manifests in different dimensions. Epistemic violence does not only manifest itself through building of economic links that exploits the other people or control and dominate the political circle and the military machines, but is also entails the process of coming up and building of epistemic frame works that tries to make and enshrine the domination practices legitimate. This formations and patterns were prevalent and common in colonial structures and their establishments. They fabricated frameworks, which were legitimate and perpetrated epistemic violence in their territories where they colonized. Foucault (84-85) clarifies that their institutions are not only based as entities constructed upon knowledge subjugation but also as an important mechanism of making their domination legitimate. This is significant given that subjugation of knowledge or epistemic violation is so common in the society. Never the less, it would be myopic to conclude that the colonialists exclusively exercised the mechanisms elaborated at the introduction. All sorts of domination processes happened earlier and even concurrently to the enlightenment wave. However, it is dangerous and useful that post modernity facts has brought to us tools to scrutinize and analyze the happenings in the day-to-day world retrospectively. In contrast, it is important that we use general conceptions such as epistemic violence to examine the analogous domination processes, which are not related to modernity. The application of any theory in generalizing and ignoring contexts way is risky and can lead to the making of another great narrative, which can be a totalitarian (Somerville 48). However, this tension will be centrally placed depending on how I will be arguing my case out. Therefore, the main aim of this essay is to find out and discuss many instances of subjugation of knowledge or epistemic violence as well as instances of epistemic retaliation in today’s societies. Foucault identifies epistemic violence in the sanity redefinition in European eighteenth century. Violence means an assertion of power and epistemic originates from epistemology, which means the study of knowledge. Therefore, epistemic violence revolves around knowledge. It is a common phrase that “knowledge is power,” therefore, it was the most important thing in the postcolonial theory that the controllers of knowledge have the power. Knowledge can be controlled from different angles ranging from education, fixing of the official language and even publishing. Foucault describes it that power or knowledge works in a very complicated way similar to an orchestra in tune but with sections different. Moreover, power works in different places and even in different countries. Queering the Color Line starts by giving out a correction. Somerville finds out a continuous but regrettable inclination for the present Americans to categorize race and sexuality as different fundamentally. She argues that this tendency has its roots in the historical processes within which the latest understanding of homosexuality mushroomed up and became out of control due to the emergence of discourses on race. Somerville further completes two important objectives by tracing the historical independence of both common models of race and sexuality and scientific. Sexuality and race have been continually used as a tool for discrimination for a long time. This is a form of violence to the people perceived to be of the weaker gender. The reality is that sexuality is an illusion created by the people who are knowledgeable to exert domination. According to Jasbir (81), he brings out and shows the importance of interpreting writings of queer studies in a new perspective. Previously queer-studies were basically analyzed through the mirror of race. In addition, Jasbir (81) clarifies that the works regarded as the genesis of the history of sexuality previously are illuminated by the way they collect present discussions, and literature of making it racial. Secondly, he identifies a shift historically from systems that were cultural and only relied on characteristic which are physical or which can be seen by the human eye to differentiate people, to a more modern, which used desire as the main axis to gauge. The work of Jasbir (81) clearly outlines the epistemic violence similar to how Somerville portrays the picture of violence exerted through race and sexuality. Foucault (84), regarded, as a postmodernist in his writings has been very influential in understanding power, knowledge and epistemic violence. Knowledge and power has been in existence for a longer period since the times of the early man. Furthermore, many rulers and even the colonialists who extensively abuse the power of knowledge have extensively exploited power and knowledge. All these instances are examples of epistemic violence that has existed in the society for a long time. The people who perceive themselves to be knowledgeable tend to dominate others and even colonize them (Foucault 98). The main power actors has laid down structures to operate and exercise their power but they use power as an instrument for coercion leading to the idea that knowledge is everywhere. According to Foucault, knowledge and power is what makes us the way we are on a daily basis and working from very separate models than others. It is not right to assert that sex is not repressed. Psychoanalysts do challenge the simple and first thing that always come to mind when one mentions the word repression. The usual explanation that it is a rebellious energy that must be channeled out has proved to be too shallow to decipher the way in which desire and power are linked to each other. Thus, it is not appropriate to think that desire is suppressed. The simple explanation is that law is what constitutes desire. In his book, introduction to sexuality, Foucault narrates the history of sex and how the human kind have lived in denial of the word sex. Furthermore, he brings out how sex has been used as a tool to dominate others or to violate other people. This clearly shows and brings out epistemic violence that has been in existence for a long time. His beliefs as portrayed in his works marked a radical departure from different means of getting knowledge and new ideas. This is because power and knowledge concentrate but not diffuse, it is not possessed or owned but enacted and deployed by them rather than consisting of agents (Foucault 98). Somerville challenges the idea that knowledge is taken and controlled by a particular group of people in sovereignty. Knowledge is known to be everywhere and it also known that it originates from everywhere. Based on that argument it is neither a form of laid down structure. Instead, it is a form of a dynamic island of truth that governs the society or people. Scientific discourses and societal institutions results from the general politics. Furthermore, regimes of truth are fundamentally imposed continually through various systems like the education systems, economic and partisan political ideologies, media to mention but a few. This way, the war for the truth is not for total truth identification that can be universally accepted or discovered, but it is a battle about the guidelines and regulation in which true and false can be identified and put aside. The effects of knowledge are connected to the truth. Many regimes are based on politics where truth is minimal. This is where exploitation and violation of people’s rights happen due to lack of truth in the governance of the regimes (Jasbir 81). Among the few writers who believed and recognized that knowledge and power are not be violated to repress others or against our wishes was Foucault. In the spirit contrary to epistemic violation, knowledge can be used in a positive and a productive manner to the society. Therefore, it is important that we cease from describing the knowledge as in the context of epistemic violence or in a negative manner or in negative terms. In fact, knowledge and power produces elements of truth. The major source of conformity and social discipline lies in the knowledgeable people in the society. In critically analyzing the epistemology from the exercise of power, feudal states, or territories traditionally coerced their subjects through enacting laws, which were epistemically violating. This kind of disciplinary measure could be used by the administrative systems and many social systems that were enacted or were in place in 18th century Europe. However, their ways of getting disciplines or assessment did not need an application of extra force or violence as people behaved in the ways expected by the authority. The most notable thing is the introduction, approach, and reaction to power. Knowledge is a thing of everyday, enshrined within the society and embodied within the people. Furthermore, it transcends from politics. This explains why the struggles for power and even revolutions will never result in the change of social order. It is not right to assert that sex is not repressed. Psychoanalysts do challenge the simple and first thing that always come to mind when one mentions the word repression. The usual explanation that it is a rebellious energy that must be channeled out has proved to be too shallow to decipher the way in which desire and power are linked to each other. Thus, it is not appropriate to think that desire is suppressed. The simple explanation is that law is what constitutes desire. Foucault analysis of epistemic violence may be so elusive or lack the practicality in nature because it lacks the foundational base for structure or agency. However, his works and beliefs have been enormously influential in giving direction to the ways norms can be enshrined even to beyond our understanding and conceptualization. This causes us to be self disciplined without any coercion from another party or others. Discourses are not subservient to the knowledge and power and were not also brought up to oppose it or raised against it. It is therefore advisable that the society make allowances for processes that are unstable and complex .Discourses can play many pivotal roles. They can not only be instruments or be used to bring power in to effect but also play as a stumbling block, a hindrance or as the starting point of a strategy. Moreover, discourses not only act as the transmitters and producers of knowledge, they reinforce it making it fragile and easy to thwart in the end. Work cited Foucault, Michel. The History of Sexuality: The Will to Knowledge, London. Penguin.1998. Print. Siobhan Somerville. Queering the Color Line Race and the Invention of Homosexuality in American Culture. Duke Universiry press. 2000. Print. Jasbir Puar. Terrorist Assemblages:homonationalisation in Queer times. Durhan and London. Duke university press. 2000. Print. Read More