Empowering change: exploring militant and popular research

• In Event: Education Utopias and Social Change

Proposal

This proposal explores the relationship between researchers and their research, with a specific focus on fields addressing social issues and driving social transformation. It delves into the concept of a militant approach in research and methodologies associated with “popular research”.

The presentation draws on the idea of an emancipatory-reflexive approach, aiming to produce knowledge that goes beyond being solely about the world, in the world, and for the world (Burawoy, 2015) but rather “with the world”. This approach goes further than “participatory research” or “research as solidarity” (Novelli, 2006) by embracing “research as militancy”. Militant research, as discussed by Shukaitis et al. (2007), is rooted in understanding, experiences, and relationships generated through organizing, serving as both a method of political action and a form of knowledge. It recognizes that the impact of researchers' actions extends beyond tangible documentation, resulting in interconnected consequences that are not easily measurable. This militant approach transcends traditional academic research, shaping diverse forms of engagement, relationships, and dynamics contributing to transformative practices. Paulo Freire's work serves as a prominent example of the militant research approach. Freire actively engaged with the community, practiced reflection, and co-created knowledge through rigorous and dialectically committed reflection (Freire, 2002). This approach involves subversive engagement within academic standards, enabling embodied understanding through active participation in mass direct actions and the use of the researcher's body as a research tool (Juris, 2017).

This proposal also connects the militant approach to the concept of "popular research," which involves co-created research tools and processes within the social movement, enabling the development of knowledge utilized in their struggle. As discussed by Author (2020), the "programación campesina" (peasant programming) that emerged in 1960s Chile serves as a reference for popular research, employing the Freirean methodology for territorial planning "from below" and capacity-building for popular empowerment. This approach aimed to transform power relations in rural territories, enabling peasants to conduct their own research and become agents of change, with intellectuals and academics as allies in this process. In addition to this reference, we will illustrate some experiences that have emerged and are being experimented in Brazilian social movements, such as the Landless Workers Movement (MST) and Universidade Emancipa, where militants from the movement conduct research while receiving training. The knowledge produced from these approaches fosters pedagogical conscientization, political mobilization, and engagement.

The presentation will be divided into two parts: one focusing on the conceptual ideas of the militant approach and popular research, and the other discussing emerging practical cases where these approaches are applied. In summary, this proposal seeks to explore the dynamic relationship between researchers, whether they are members of a movement or allied intellectuals and academics, and their inquiries. It emphasizes the transformative potential of militant research and the participatory nature of popular inquiry, shedding light on the significance of these approaches in addressing social issues and fostering social change through an examination of theoretical foundations and real-life applications.

Authors

• Alexandre da Trindade e Oliveira, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge

• Joana Salém Vasconcelos