Decolonial research praxis in Westernized universities. Discomforting Inclusive and Democratizing Participatory Research Frameworks

Abstract (English)

This paper interrogates the epistemic and political tensions inherent in deploying decolonial research praxis within Westernized academic institutions. Focusing on three participatory research frameworks – knowledge mobilization, citizen science, and action research – it examines how these approaches, while often positioned as inclusive and democratizing, are frequently co-opted by Eurocentric epistemological norms. By centering the notion of discomfort not as an obstacle but as a decolonial method, the paper explores how unease and misalignment can be turned into productive tools for unmasking the limits of these frameworks when situated in institutions structured by coloniality. Focusing on the Brazilian academic context and drawing on examples of research praxis conceived by researchers from other worldviews and oral traditions of knowledge (indigenous, quilombola and other autochthonous communities), the paper critiques how dominant ethical standards, research protocols, and institutional practices inhibit epistemic justice under the guise of "participation" and "collaboration." It calls for a reorientation of these frameworks through the lens of decolonial thought and affective politics, proposing methodological disobedience, epistemic humility, and political friction as strategies for unsettling hegemonic knowledge systems. Ultimately, it advances the argument that only by embracing the inconveniences of decolonial praxis – both affective and institutional – can we meaningfully transform research into a site of resistance and reparation. By critically examining participatory research frameworks through a decolonial lens, the paper seeks to contribute to anthropology by confronting the persistent coloniality embedded in institutional structures and research methodologies. It resonates with ongoing debates in the field about reflexivity, positionality, and the politics of representation, urging a rethinking of collaboration and ethical engagement with marginalized communities beyond tokenistic inclusion.