Is bias inevitable in the production of knowledge?

Bias is the tendency to favour or present information or ideas in a particular way, often influenced by personal, cultural, social, or institutional factors. Knowledge production is the process of generating and disseminating information or ideas to create knowledge. Inevitability is the state of a situation being unavoidable. This exhibition will explore the extent to which these biases are unavoidable.

This diary was a gift from my father as I was turning 16. At the time, I was dealing with the complexities of growing up and he got me this diary. He clarified that I should use it as a tool for me to express my feelings whenever he’s unavailable. Every time I hold it, I’m reminded of how much he loves me and will always be there for me in different forms.

Every diary entry reflected the lens through which I perceived and constructed knowledge. Barely would I go and confirm perspectives of a situation before writing about it and usually I’m emotional when I write about it. My diary presented judgments from an unknowledgeable point of view. In one instance I recorded, I asked a friend of mine for feedback on a task I had completed. My friend provided constructive criticism which at the time, I took for an overall dislike for my work. Only after my friend read my diary entries a while later was I corrected into realizing I misunderstood their feedback.

Through my diary, I witnessed how bias manifests in selecting and interpreting events. I had the power to emphasize certain experiences over others, prioritizing those that aligned with my preconceptions or desires. Inevitably, this biased lens influenced the construction of my knowledge, shaping my understanding of the world around me. It brings out the role of personal bias in knowledge production, which inevitably occurs as human beings are born with a preference towards themselves. This acknowledgement of the existence of the bias also allows us to be vigilant with the information we see on social media which tends to be biased towards the storytellers.

This image shows my twin brother and I graduating from the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in 2019. This was a truly monumental moment in our lives as the 8 years of our primary education were full of tears, frustrations, hard work, and fatigue. We managed to get through it together and this graduation photo marks the joy we had of seeing it through to the end as a team.

In school, my brother had a slower physical developmental process, making him shorter and younger-looking than me during our entire childhood. Because of this, he faced plenty of ridicule from his agemates for his height as he was shorter than most. I, on the other hand, matured much faster and was taller than most in my age bracket. Despite these drastic differences, he and I were still twins. In the image above, the guest of honour had hesitated to give my brother his certificate of completion out of disbelief that he was 13. Moreover, more guests could not believe it when I introduced him as my twin brother, claiming that it couldn’t be true.

Bias can naturally emerge from the subjective lens through which we perceive the world. Humans tend to construct narratives and make judgments based on limited information. Here, bias stemmed from the assumption that height and physical appearance are reliable indicators of age and maturity which fails to consider the complex interplay of genetic factors, environmental influences, and individual growth patterns. It prompts reflection on the influence of societal biases on knowledge production. Our societies often have ingrained stereotypes and preconceived notions that can shape our understanding of the world. By looking at this image, we can see the influence that biases inevitably have due to the inevitable socialization that we encounter.

My last object is the epistolary novel “So Long A Letter” by Mariama Ba given to me by my best friend as we joined high school as a reminder that I should focus on my education to have a rewarding lifestyle in this society. She has the same copy, which we’ve annotated, talked about, and drawn life lessons from. The book reminds us that as women, we’d often be underestimated despite our achievements, and therefore we seek to attain autonomy and self-worth as we grow into young citizens of the world.

While reading, I realised that the book was written through the lens of an educated woman in an Islamic country. While this provided incredible grounds for bringing out the disheartening culture of the patriarchy, the experiences faced by Ramatoulaye are not experienced by many others. As an educated woman in post-colonial times, the persona had a better position to air out her opinions and views compared to women who were not educated. This perspective is not presented in the book. Moreover, considering the book was written by a feminist, it creates room for exaggeration or a downplay of certain events in the book. For instance, the protagonist, Ramatoulaye, finds solace in her friendships with other women, symbolizing female solidarity and resilience. However, Ba does not fully explore the potential impact of these feminist alliances or give them as much attention as the misogynistic events. This downplaying of feminist elements may reflect societal biases that prioritize the portrayal of women as victims rather than agents of change.

These biases are not exclusive to the novel but reflect broader societal patterns. In the real world, the media often amplifies instances of gender-based violence and discrimination, while downplaying or neglecting feminist achievements and movements. This selective presentation of knowledge reinforces existing power structures and hinders a comprehensive understanding of gender dynamics.