Mixed Methods for the Pluriverse

• In Event: Making Abstract Research Concepts Concrete: Using Paradigms and Theoretical Frameworks in Mixed Methods Research

Abstract

One dimension of the paradigm wars was epistemological coloniality, in which universal knowledge and ways of knowing were appropriated by the global North. Unfortunately, the mixed methods research (MMR) community has not been immune to imperialistic intentions. At the same time, there are also growing signs of a willingness to engage with the indigenous, ranging from sensitivity to responsiveness and sustainability. The paper examines the value and impact of full engagement in the pluriverse, a decolonization concept of a world of many worlds, with each approach acknowledged and given equivalent honour and value. A typology is constructed describing the range of engagement between MMR and the indigenous. We reflect on the utility of these types for extracting indigenous knowledge.

Author

• Jerome De Lisle, University of the West Indies - St. Augustine