1: Advancing Epistemic Justice for Rural Students in South Africa Higher Education

This paper examines the marginalisation of rural students’ knowledge and literacy practices in South African Higher Education Institutions, where deficit positioning perpetuates epistemic injustice. Drawing on Ubuntu philosophy combined with humanising pedagogies, and nonviolence education, we investigate rural students’ diverse literacy practices in mathematics, science, and language at the University of Johannesburg. Through qualitative methodologies including digital documentaries, interviews, and focus groups, we reveal sophisticated knowledge systems that rural students bring to higher education but often find marginalised. Our findings demonstrate how traditional mathematical practices, environmental understanding, and linguistic resources offer valuable epistemological contributions when properly integrated into higher education. By embracing Ubuntu‑centred approaches, institutions can transform educational spaces to validate these diverse epistemologies, address intellectual violence and foster collective well-being while enriching academic discourse for all students.