Beyond Technocracy: Epistemic Justice in dialogue with Postmodern Public Administration

Technocratic promises of neutrality obscure how public administration privileges certain knowers. Combining epistemic justice with postmodern critique, I frame testimonial and hermeneutical injustices as failures of institutional design rather than inevitable power effects. Drawing on cases from nutrition clinics, contracted participation, and citizens’ assemblies, I demonstrate how routine administrative discourse can entrench or reduce credibility gaps, while deliberative forums, facilitation and translation tools, and organisational training grounded in reflexive judgement and care offer pathways to more inclusive governance.