Abstract

This paper brings together a set of critical reflections on a knowledge dialogue process within the field of indigenous education that has led us to consider the development of the social sciences. We have been motivated about what is special about research with indigenous peoples that distinguishes these experiences from other academic relations with territories, as well as what academia (or the university) offers to indigenous peoples. In this vein, we provide a brief account of the historical-theoretical framework in relation to the knowledge dialogue position and then, from our own experience, we critically reflect on the relationship between academia and the communities, specifically, on the processes that have been developed in relation to this field in Latin America. Finally, we present our methodological research proposal related to indigenous communities in line with the principles of the decolonization of knowledge and social justice, the latter based on the principle of recognition, aiming at proposing and promoting the need to interculturalise university institutions. This is done with a view to creating truly dialogical academic spaces with indigenous communities which allows for the appraisal of different rationalities, of ways of being and living in the world.