Critical Ethnographies and the Decolonization of Fieldwork in NuestrAmérica

Abstract

One of the most widely used methods in social research is ethnography, which may follow positivist, critical, or decolonial methodological paradigms. In theses, articles, and books, the ethnographic method is often cited, yet in practice, its application is limited to techniques and tools, reducing fieldwork to occasional visits or brief excursions. This article critically analyzes hegemonic ethnographic approaches while highlighting the emergence of critical and decolonial ethnographies in social research across NuestrAmérica. The methodology involves a review of theoretical sources and a comparative analysis of traditional, critical, and decolonial ethnographic practices, with particular attention to fieldwork and the construction of collective subjectivities. The findings show that classical ethnography, grounded in positivism and Eurocentrism, tends to reproduce structures of power and offers a limited view of the communities under study. In contrast, critical and decolonial ethnographies introduce reflexivity, horizontality, and knowledge co-production, reclaiming subaltern voices and ways of knowing, as well as emphasizing ethics and cognitive justice. From this perspective, fieldwork is redefined as a relational, collaborative, and intersubjective process that rejects epistemic extractivism and fosters social transformation. The study concludes that critical and decolonial ethnographies contribute to the democratization of knowledge production, challenge epistemic hierarchies, and promote both social and cognitive justice.