Abstract
Context: Science has established a system of knowledge production in which researchers survey participants to understand reality and propose theoretical and technical innovations. They are assigned the role of representatives. In addition to establishing a power relationship that imposes a way of understanding and acting, this modus operandi hinders a view of diversity and generates a production of knowledge in which one privileged group tells the other who they are or how they should act. We therefore aim to present and discuss a dialogical and collaborative proposal for producing knowledge to which everyone involved in the process contributes (researchers and people from the contexts being researched).
Approach: Based on social constructionism, which views reality as a network of relationships and recognises the narratives of everyone as valid, we believe researchers have conceptual and technical knowledge (generalising scientific etic knowledge). In contrast, research participants have everyday knowledge (specific everyday emic knowledge), both of which have incomplete knowledge that requires articulation to be legitimised.
Findings: We propose a logic of knowledge production based on intersectional and intercultural diversity and dialogicity with five principles: (1) All knowledge production is inherently incomplete and influenced by specific perspectives; (2) Researchers play a crucial role in the knowledge production process; (3) It is essential for researchers to validate knowledge by actively involving all participants, treating them as collaborators rather than mere representatives; (4) Research participants should be viewed as co-producers of knowledge, not merely producers of data to be analysed by scientists actively contributing to creating knowledge, not only being simply sources of information for the researcher (shifting their role as producers of data for co-constructors of knowledge); and (5) Knowledge should emerge from co-construction among all people involved.
Conclusions: The result is the production of contextualised, intersectional, and intercultural knowledge that will help to deconstruct and reconstruct existing concepts and practices validated by science, legitimising sociocultural specificities (everyday emic knowledge) without denying generalities (etic scientific knowledge). It potentially contributes to fairer and more plural scientific production by including all in the knowledge production. Practical examples of this way of doing research in the field of career guidance will be presented and discussed.
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