‘Lived experience’ is valued in activism – but is it doing more harm than good?

By Dr Jody Moore-Ponce, Assistant lecturer in Sociology University College Cork, University College Cork

The idea of “lived experience” – knowledge gained through direct, personal experience – is now central in activism, academia and politics. Popularised by feminist thinkers like Simone de Beauvoir and concepts like standpoint theory, it makes sense that people see the world differently based on what they’ve been through. And movements like #MeToo showed how sharing personal stories, particularly for oppressed, marginalised or victimised groups, can drive real change.

Lived experience lends authority to those long excluded from…

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