Who Gets to be a Knower? Epistemic Authority in Classical Studies
Abstract
In this thesis I explore the question: who gets to be a knower in Classical Studies? First, I investigate how identity has been researched in Classical Studies. I focus on recent demographic studies, and I problematize the language and methodologies they employ. Then, using the methodology of reflexive positionality, I analyze how scholars have considered the impact that their own identity, and the identity of other scholars, has on the knowledge they produce. Though reflexive positionality is minimally applied, I demonstrate that there are conventions in Classical Studies which parallel the motivations of reflexive positionality and I explore the implications of these practices. Lastly, I discuss epistemic authority. I analyze the citational practices of Classical Studies publications which utilize the theory of intersectionality. Through these three investigations I explore different aspects of what it means to be a knower and how one’s identity impacts their epistemic authority.