Militant Research as Praxis: Knowledge Co-Production, Reflexive Ethnography, and Social Transformation in Brazilian Social Movements

This paper examines “militant research” as a methodological and epistemological approach that challenges traditional academic boundaries, fostering a politically and ethically committed mode of knowledge production. In this framework, critical reflexivity must be embedded throughout the entire process of research design and execution (Elder-Vass, 2022; Nichol et al., 2023). In an era marked by the neoliberal co-optation of academia and the marginalisation of grassroots epistemologies, this study argues for the urgent need to reclaim research as a tool for social transformation. It builds on critical realism (Sayer, 2000) and the extended case method (Burawoy, 2009), articulating how research conducted WITH communities – rather than merely ABOUT or FOR them – can serve as both an academic and political practice (Burawoy, 2015) Drawing from empirical research conducted in Brazil (Da Trindade, 2024), particularly among social movements such as the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (Landless Workers’ Movement – MST), this study explores how militant research operates within spaces of resistance, co-producing knowledge alongside marginalised communities. The paper critically engages with Paulo Freire’s (2005, 2014) perspective on the “inédito viável” (untested feasibility), linking his pedagogical framework to the praxis of knowledge democratisation through engaged ethnography (Fernandes & Da Trindade, 2023). This connection highlights how militant research not only generates knowledge but also fosters pedagogical conscientisation and political mobilisation. The methodological framework is structured around three key components. First, it engages with the dialectic of situated knowledge production, arguing that militant research inherently contests hegemonic epistemologies by positioning research as a site of struggle. Drawing on Shukaitis et al. (2007) and Fals-Borda (2015), this paper examines how knowledge is co-produced within processes of political action, emphasising that research is never neutral but is instead an instrument of either reinforcement or subversion of existing power structures. This perspective challenges the detachment often associated with traditional academic research, advocating for a more engaged and politically committed approach. Second, it elaborates on the integration of reflexive ethnography and militant engagement, demonstrating how the “extended case method” serves as a bridge between micro-level ethnographic encounters and macro-level structural analyses. By embedding research within lived experiences and political struggles, this method enables a dynamic articulation between local realities and broader socio-political forces (Burawoy, 2009). In doing so, it challenges positivist paradigms that often detach researchers from their subjects, instead emphasising intersubjectivity and co-authorship of knowledge. Third, this study presents concrete cases from Brazilian social movements, illustrating how militant research fosters pedagogical conscientisation, political mobilisation, and institutional subversion. These cases, drawn from research conducted at institutions such as the Popular University of Social Movements (UPMS) and the Florestan Fernandes National School (ENFF), highlight the pedagogical and political dimensions of research as activism. For example, the work with MST demonstrates how militant research not only documents but also actively engages in processes of social change, contributing to the movement’s struggles for land reform and educational justice. Ultimately, this paper argues that militant research should not be viewed merely as a methodological choice but as an ethical and political commitment. It contends that the transformative potential of research lies in its capacity to challenge dominant knowledge hierarchies, foster insurgent epistemologies, and contribute to struggles for social justice. By positioning the researcher as an engaged ally rather than a detached observer, militant research asserts itself as both an intellectual and activist practice, pushing the boundaries of what constitutes legitimate knowledge within academia. This study contributes to debates on participatory methodologies, engaged ethnography, and the role of universities in social transformation, advocating for a reinvigoration of research as a militant act that resists the pressures of neoliberal academia and amplifies the epistemologies emerging from grassroots struggles. However, it also acknowledges the challenges and limitations of militant research, such as navigating power dynamics within communities and ensuring ethical co-authorship. Future research could explore how these challenges manifest in different geopolitical contexts and how they might be addressed to strengthen the praxis of militant research globally. References: Burawoy, M. (2009). 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