Abstract

How is the standpoint of the oppressed achieved? Those I call separatists argue that all have equal access to a given standpoint thereby separating the tight connection between social position and standpoint. By contrast, those I call unionists reason that the achievement of a standpoint is partially determined by one’s social position. In this chapter I side with the unionists. In defending unionism, I first show how the tension between separatists and unionists can be significantly diminished, if we distinguish between producing and possessing a standpoint. Separatists make a reasonable claim on the possession of a standpoint: Once created everyone should be able to access the knowledge originating from an oppressed standpoint. Unionists make a reasonable claim on the production of a standpoint: The production of the standpoint must be achieved by the oppressed themselves. If not, I argue, then their epistemic autonomy is violated.