Beyond Representation: Tokenism and Epistemic Justice in Nursing Research
Loading...
Files
Size: 292.35 KB, File format: Adobe PDF
Date
Authors
Jackson, Debra
Power, Tamara
Smallwood, Reakeeta
Moorley, Calvin
Wilson, Denise
West, Roianne
Jones, Debra
McCormack, Brendan
Supervisor
Item type
Degree name
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wiley
Abstract
Tokenism has become an increasingly visible feature of contemporary research and scholarship, particularly in contexts where expectations of diversity and inclusion are institutionally embedded. While often presented as evidence of progress, tokenism raises critical questions about power, participation and the conditions under which knowledge is produced. Tokenism is more than simply a failure of inclusion, it is a functional feature of contemporary research systems, enabling the appearance of equity while preserving existing distributions of power. This paper examines tokenism as a form of inclusion that is more symbolic than substantive, projecting an image of progress while leaving existing hierarchies intact. We argue that tokenism in nursing research is not simply a problem of representation, but a form of epistemic injustice that shapes who participates, whose contributions are recognised and what knowledge is legitimised. In doing so, tokenism can obscure expertise, distort perceptions of competence and position individuals as representatives of identity rather than as authoritative contributors. These dynamics have ethical and epistemic consequences, including the reproduction of marginalisation, the generation of partial knowledge and the erosion of trust. Addressing tokenism requires a reorientation towards collaborative and justice-oriented practices in which participation and epistemic authority is shared.
Description
Keywords
epistemic justice, equity in research, knowledge production, research inclusion, research participation, social justice, tokenism, 1110 Nursing, Nursing, 4204 Midwifery, 4205 Nursing
Source
Nursing Inquiry, ISSN: 1320-7881 (Print); 1440-1800 (Online), Wiley, 33(4), e70161-. doi: 10.1111/nin.70161
Publisher's version
Rights statement
© 2026 The Author(s). Nursing Inquiry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
Permanent link
Collections
Endorsement
Review
Supplemented By
Referenced By
Creative Commons license
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License