Reducing Epistemic Violence in the Pursuit of Organization Studies Through Reflective Praxis: Some Reflections

We, as researchers trained in Western paradigms, are at risk of perpetrating epistemic violence on those often silenced and marginalized. By engaging in reflexive praxis, I draw on anecdotes from my time in the field researching the marginalization and violence perpetrated on women in India to explain how I was at risk of being complicit in this perpetration while trying to comply with research standards from the Global North. I trace my journey by addressing these risks that include the ensuring of safe spaces, silencing through anonymity, following interview protocols and procedures, and the translation of interviews. Finally, I end with a call for scholars to include the knowledge of those often silenced and marginalized within broader discourses of Academia.