Turning away from epistemic violence by capturing a lived experience of the other

Abstract

We agree with Held’s (2020) arguments for establishing a research practice that prevents numerous forms of othering in mainstream psychological research, which is essentially derived from omitting concepts embedded in the lived experience of the other. However, we believe those arguments are not yet sufficient for fulfilling the true potential of such research practice. In this discussion, we focus on accessing a lived experience of the other as a means of preventing epistemic violence that contributes to the oppression of othered people. We suggest that researchers broaden their psychological perspective that detaches concepts and theories from personal experience. To truly meet the other, the narrative approach offers promising potential, as it captures an individual’s lived experience and subjective perspective. Finally, we stress the pivotal role of social interaction in concept and folk theory formation, which is necessary to implement Held’s postulations for Indigenous psychology.