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Public Health Education in Africa: The Case of Epistemic (in) Justice and Indigenous Health Systems

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Indigenous Methodologies, Research and Practices for Sustainable Development

Part of the book series: World Sustainability Series ((WSUSE))

Abstract

This chapter interrogates epistemic injustice in public health education; with a focus on indigenous systems in Africa; and calls for the prompt address of the persistent injustices associated with knowledge development, validation, and application. The forms of epistemic injustices including interpretive marginalisation and credibility deficit are discussed and arguments raised on how common practices in public health and public health education (such as research partnerships, authorship practices, and choice of research structure) are infused with imbalances. This viewpoint aims to interpret, avert, and nullify biased knowledge observances in public health that are imposed on indigenous individuals in their capacity as apprehenders, producers, and users of knowledge. It further provides probable means of accepting, developing, and sustaining useful knowledge systems with an ultimate intention of fostering good health and wellbeing for all as captured in the Sustainable Development Goal [SDG]- 3.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, Bournemouth University, Poole, England

    Amarachi Jane-Frances Orjinta

  2. Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester, Oxford Rd, Manchester, M13 9PL, England

    Marcellus F. Mbah

Authors
  1. Amarachi Jane-Frances Orjinta
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  2. Marcellus F. Mbah
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Correspondence to Amarachi Jane-Frances Orjinta .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Marcellus F. Mbah

  2. Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

  3. Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Sandra Ajaps

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Orjinta, AF., Mbah, M.F. (2022). Public Health Education in Africa: The Case of Epistemic (in) Justice and Indigenous Health Systems. In: Mbah, M.F., Leal Filho, W., Ajaps, S. (eds) Indigenous Methodologies, Research and Practices for Sustainable Development. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12326-9_13

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