FEJUST Policy Briefs and Op-Eds

FEJUST Policy Briefs and Op-Eds

FEJUST Policy Briefs and Op-Eds: Bridging Feminist Epistemic Justice and Public Discourse

A core mission of the FEJUST Jean Monnet Chair on Feminist Epistemic Justice in the EU and Beyond is to make knowledge on the EU more accessible to a wider audience, including academia, specialized agencies, policymakers, and the general public. In line with this goal, FEJUST is committed to publishing policy briefs and op-eds that translate the outcomes of its workshops and research activities into accessible, policy-relevant discussions. These contributions are published in platforms such as UIK Panorama, Perspective Online, EuroPolitika Blog, and through direct communication with femocrats, ensuring that the insights generated by FEJUST reach those involved in governance, policymaking, and civil society. By expanding the dissemination of feminist epistemic justice beyond academia, FEJUST aims to bring the EU closer to the public, fostering an inclusive and informed debate on EU politics, gender, and intersectional inequalities.

FEJUST also prioritizes accessibility and linguistic inclusivity in its knowledge dissemination. The decision to publish some policy briefs and op-eds in Turkish, alongside English-language outputs, ensures that non-academic stakeholders, journalists, activists, and policymakers in Turkey and beyond can engage with discussions on gender, politics, and epistemic justice. Feminist epistemic justice is not just about recognizing and amplifying marginalized voices in academic spaces but also about ensuring that knowledge reaches those directly affected by injustice. By challenging androcentric and Eurocentric narratives in policymaking, leadership, and media representation, FEJUST contributes to reshaping political discourse, advocating for inclusive policymaking, and amplifying voices that have historically been excluded from knowledge production and decision-making processes. Here is the list of FEJUST Policy Briefs and Op-Eds.

AB ve Ötesinde Kadınların Siyasi Temsiline Epistemik Adalet Arayışı [The Pursuit of Epistemic Justice in Women's Political Representation in the EU and Beyond]

Authors: Rahime Süleymanoğlu-Kürüm & Aybüke Ceren Çolakoğlu

Published in: UIK Panorama, 6 December 2023

This op-ed explores the gendered barriers to women’s political representation, analyzing how epistemic injustice and misrecognition shape the way women politicians are perceived and treated in the media and public discourse. Drawing on Miranda Fricker’s (2007) framework of testimonial and hermeneutical injustice, the authors argue that women politicians frequently face credibility deficits, where their expertise and authority are questioned simply due to their gender. At the same time, the misrepresentation of women leaders in political narratives reinforces stereotypical roles and excludes their contributions from shaping political norms and decision-making processes.

Through a feminist epistemic justice perspective, the article examines how women leaders in Europe and beyond—including figures such as Margaret Thatcher, Giorgia Meloni, Sanna Marin, and Jacinda Ardern—have been subject to systematic epistemic injustices. The authors illustrate how misrecognition in media narratives—such as emphasizing women’s clothing, family life, or perceived emotionality—diminishes their political credibility, forcing them into hyper-masculine leadership styles to gain legitimacy. The case of Sanna Marin, Finland’s youngest prime minister, is particularly revealing: her leadership was repeatedly scrutinized through age and gender biases, culminating in public scandals and media narratives that portrayed her social life as incompatible with political leadership.

These patterns of epistemic injustice are not only found in the Global North but also within the Turkish political landscape. Drawing on feminist scholarship, the authors highlight the historical struggles of women in Turkish politics, from Nezihe Muhiddin and Behice Boran to Tansu Çiller and Meral Akşener. Women political leaders in Turkey have had to engage in "patriarchal bargaining", navigating societal expectations while resisting epistemic erasure. The article references the social media smear campaign against Meral Akşener, where political opponents attempted to undermine her legitimacy through sexist narratives, reinforcing how epistemic injustice operates to silence, marginalize, and discredit women in leadership positions.

As an output of the FEJUST Jean Monnet Chair, this op-ed exemplifies FEJUST’s commitment to bridging feminist epistemic justice with contemporary political debates. By examining women’s political representation through epistemic injustice and misrecognition, the article contributes to FEJUST’s broader mission of challenging androcentric knowledge structures and ensuring gendered perspectives in political and policy discussions.

Kadınlara ve Kız Çocuklarına Yönelik Şiddet: Epistemik Adaletsizlik ve Feminist Tarih Perspektifi [Violence Against Women and Girls: Epistemic Injustice and a Feminist Historiography]

Authors: Aybüke Ceren Çolakoğlu & İbrahim Ekrem Sarı

Published in: Academicus, 19 July 2024

This op-ed critically examines violence against women and girls through the lens of epistemic injustice, shedding light on how systemic gender-based violence is perpetuated not only through physical harm but also through the silencing, misrepresentation, and erasure of women’s experiences in public discourse, policymaking, and historical narratives. Drawing on Miranda Fricker’s (2007) conceptualization of testimonial and hermeneutical injustice, the article explores how women who experience violence are often denied credibility, their narratives dismissed, and their agency undermined. This epistemic injustice not only marginalizes women’s lived experiences but also restricts their ability to shape policies and social responses that could lead to meaningful change.

Through a feminist historical perspective, the article revisits the story of the Mirabal Sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic who were assassinated for their resistance against dictatorship, and whose legacy later became a symbol of the global struggle against gender-based violence. Their story serves as a powerful example of how women’s political activism is often reframed solely as personal victimhood, stripping away its political significance and reinforcing patriarchal structures that depict women as passive subjects rather than active agents of change. The op-ed underscores the necessity of feminist historiography in countering these distortions, recovering erased narratives, and exposing the deep-rooted connections between gender-based violence and political oppression.