Invisible pasts, erased futures: epistemic erasure in refugee and migrant experiences

Süleymanoğlu-Kürüm, Rahime and Cin, Melis and Bekaroglu, Edip Asaf and Dogan, Necmettin (2025) Invisible pasts, erased futures: epistemic erasure in refugee and migrant experiences. Third World Quarterly. ISSN 0143-6597

Abstract

The ongoing influx of refugees and undocumented migrants has catalysed a more profound discourse on discrimination, stigmatisation, and social exclusion. Existing scholarship often delineates these challenges, yet it frequently characterises refugees as passive victims rather than active agents in shaping their own lives. This paper seeks to bridge this conceptual void through the lens of epistemic erasure – the systemic devaluation and exclusion of refugees’ knowledge, narratives and professional identities – within host communities. Drawing on interviews from Syrian, Afghan and African refugees in Istanbul, we examine how these groups cultivate collective capabilities to subvert epistemic injustice and reclaim their agency and showcase how refugees foster collective strategies to safeguard their cultural heritage, preserve their skills and credentials and sustain their livelihoods. However, these collective capabilities, while essential for resilience and resistance, create a complex paradox: when confined to marginalised social and institutional spaces, there is a risk that they may inadvertently reinforce the very exclusions they seek to dismantle. By recognising these intricacies, we highlight the importance of fostering environments that validate the contributions of refugees and migrants, empowering them to redefine their identities and, reinforce their agency in the face of adversity.