This paper develops Epistemic Clientelism Theory, analysing how academic institutions systematically delegate epistemic agency through clientelist exchange. It diagnoses fiduciary breaches, democratic failures, and epistemic injustices, and proposes fiduciary-epistemic governance reforms to restore autonomy and accountability.

A unified theoretical framework integrating political theory, political epistemology, and Epistemic Clientelism Theory to analyse and reform the structures of epistemic power in governance, institutions, and social systems.