A democracy without women's perspectives?A feminist critique of the neutrality of indicators and curricular epistemology in Colombian higher education.

Abstract

Objetive. To demonstrate the political and cultural nature of epistemic exclusion devices operating in the production of scientific knowledge, to critique the fallacy of quantitative indicators as a measure of real inclusion of women in science, and to examine the ambivalent role of digital tools in reproducing or transforming these structures of power rooted in patriarchal and colonial foundations. Method. A qualitative systematic literature review methodology was employed through critical analysis of foundational theoretical frameworks, particularly the Patriarchal Symbolic Order and Coloniality of Gender. The review process focused on deconstructing mechanisms that obscure women's participation in science and identifying contemporary debates on epistemic transformation. Results. The findings demonstrate that overcoming epistemic exclusion of women constitutes a multifaceted political and cultural struggle, not a technical task. It was identified that quantitative indicators mask the true contribution of feminine knowledge through superficial measurements. Additionally, it was established that digital tools, although presented as mechanisms for democratization and access, may replicate the same logic of patriarchal and colonial power if not approached from critical perspectives that question their foundations. Conclusions. The insufficient measurement of women's participation in science responds to systematic structures of epistemic exclusion rooted in patriarchal and colonial power. True inclusion requires transcending the technical logic of quantitative indicators toward a political and cultural transformation that critically challenges both traditional exclusion mechanisms and contemporary digital devices that may reproduce these dynamics of power.