Encuentros

Contextualized knowledge as mediation for transformative action

2025-07-16T22:15:48+00:00

Design as a performative agent: cultural mediation towards change and social benefit

2023-10-20T16:30:40+00:00

This article elaborates an approach to the interdisciplinary practices of Design, and also to the impact they can have on the thinking, emotions and attitudes of the people who are immersed in their daily spaces of interaction. Unveiling the benefits that artifacts achieve as a result of such practices, reveals a substance that transcends the universe of products, services, and experiences. In the face of these realities, Design projects the cultivation of behaviors that go beyond the political dimension of the economy, when it commits itself to the construction of values from its powerful social mediation. Aspects such as inclusion; the defense of human rights; respect for cultural diversity; freedom of otherness; preservation of environmental health; orientation and information in interactive spaces; education; and universal benefit, among other factors, are among its interests. However, the ever-changing cultural specificities, atomized in needs, aspirations, desires and lifestyles, tend, at times, not to correspond to the artifactual solutions due to the biased results resulting from traditional design methodologies. Therefore, this research integrates the above theories with the development of assertive tools to typify users, as well as heuristics for the evaluation of processes and results, applied to case studies of different nature. In this way, the role of Design can reach high levels of performativity, especially when it seeks to generate changes towards social benefit and transformation.

Sense of Community, Participation and Empowerment of citizens who wish to change their place of residence in Barranquilla, Colombia

2024-04-02T14:32:52+00:00

The sense of community is a key concept for community psychology and influences empowerment and participation at individual, organizational and community levels. These categories have the property of offering multiple alternatives to articulate processes of change and social transformation, based on the relationship that can be observed between people and social groups within the context in which they develop. The aim of the research that originates this article is getting to know the sense of community, level of empowerment and community participation that the inhabitants of a group of neighborhoods in the city of Barranquilla (north of Colombia) present, but with a special feature: manifesting their desire to change their place of residence. Methods: The study was carried out in 2019 with 1,334 people from Barranquilla (595 men, 739 women). For data collection the "Sense of Community Index 2 (SCI-2)" scales of Chavis and Acosta (2007), the "Empowerment Scale of Zimmerman and Zahniser" (1991) and the "Community Participation scale of Speer and Paterson" (2000) were used. Results: A sense of community, empowerment and participation was found that tends to be low or medium. In addition, a positive albeit slight correlation was found between these three variables. The Sense of community, empowerment and participation were recorded as low at a general level, but these present even lower levels in women and among those who live in rented places. Conclusions: It has been possible to establish that among the people who have openly expressed their interest in moving out of the place where they currently live, there is a low level of sense of community, empowerment, and community participation.

National stereotypes: the construction of Argentine identity from immigrant life stories

2024-11-07T17:03:58+00:00

This work is part of an investigation titled “Construcciones de la identidad y la alteridad a partir del signo ‘inmigrante’ en el discurso político y legislativo argentino”. On this occasion, we work with a book published in 2011 by the National Directorate of Migration, that compiles thirty-seven stories about the lives of migrants from different parts of the world. We propose that the book, while composing representations of migrants, builds the identity of Argentines. Therefore, in this paper we investigate what representations -and stereotypes- about Argentines appear in the publication. We consider two strategies are used: 1) the paratexts of the book, where the Argentines themselves evaluate their specificities as a people, 2) the voice of foreigners, who evaluate Argentines in the context of their stories of lifetime. In this work, we analyze both strategies and the linguistic resources by which they are carried out. Our hypothesis is that the prologue and the closing of the book redirect the attention to the construction of an Argentine identity. Furthermore, both in the aforementioned paratexts and in the life stories themselves, a tension is generated between the purely receptive character that is postulated -not only for the government of Argentina, but for its citizens- and certain xenophobic attitudes. We frame our work in Critical Discourse Analysis and our methodology is qualitative.

The oral tradition and historical memory as pedagogical strategies for teaching social sciences in the José Consuegra Higgins Educational Institution of the Isabel López district

2025-04-22T14:09:15+00:00

The objective of this article is to present the research results of the project entitled: “Pedagogical strategies in social sciences for the teaching and conservation of oral tradition and historical memory in the José Consuegra Higgins Educational Institution of the Isabel López district”, analyzing the representative elements of the oral tradition and historical memory of the town of Isabel López, product of the knowledge and wisdom of 192 students from sixth to tenth grade, from a dialogic, comprehensive, multidimensional, complex and human vision. The premise of a methodological proposal from complexity, visualized from the emerging paradigm, reflects an educational reality capable of breaking into the conception of the classroom not only as a physical learning space, linear and modeling knowledge, experiences or practices, towards an education in relation dialogic with interdisciplinary processes, this being an emerging scenario of knowledge and knowledge based on multiple theories, awareness and active participation, for purposes of reflection, training and transformation of the educational community. It is concluded that the oral tradition and the historical memory of the town of Isabel López are considered two key transversal axes of social development, as well as drivers of the curriculum, becoming pedagogical strategies that strengthen the teaching and learning of social sciences.

Dialogues of knowledge and horizontal research in the social appropriation of knowledge in CTeI

2024-05-02T15:40:43+00:00

The article presents an epistemological, theoretical, and methodological reflection from research on the social appropriation of knowledge in CTeI with young people and women from southwest Antioquia in Colombia. The methodology is horizontal research and dialogue on knowledge to contribute to developing a scientific culture in six territories of the San Juan Basin. Share and build computer knowledge, programming, science, technology, and innovation. Fieldwork carried through citizen participation and collaborative thinking through training workshops, photo ethnography, and videos. The findings show differences in the appropriation of scientific and technological knowledge. CTeI achieved more openness among women and young people. It has concluded that it is important to continue strengthening the situated scientific culture.

Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology Model Applied to Entrepreneurs

2025-03-05T17:39:40+00:00

This study examines the construct validity and relevance of the categories involved in the UTAUT 2 model in the context of entrepreneurs, aiming to assess whether its concepts are applicable for understanding how this population segment adopts new technologies. Previous technology acceptance models, such as TAM and UTAUT, were primarily designed for employees and consumers, making it an opportunity to conduct a specific analysis to see how they fit the realities of entrepreneurs. Technology plays a key role in the success of entrepreneurial ventures, and entrepreneurs, who often work in dynamic environments, face unique challenges in adopting it. This qualitative and exploratory study is based on interviews with 24 Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs developing startups. From these interviews, the relevance of the various factors in the UTAUT 2 model was analyzed in this group. The results showed that some constructs, such as performance expectancy and effort expectancy, are relevant, while others, such as social influence and habit, play a less significant role for entrepreneurs. Additionally, adaptations to the model are suggested, considering factors such as perceived risk and perceived trust in technology. In conclusion, the applicability of UTAUT 2 to entrepreneurs is discussed, and potential improvements are proposed to better suit the needs of this population segment.