9. Redrawing Our Epistemic Horizon

The concluding chapter focuses on the book’s specific contributions to scholarly knowledge. It considers the book’s conceptual/empirical contributions, such as the creation of a participatory capabilities-based research process (De Sousa Santos, 2015). The second section highlights the book’s methodological contributions. It focuses on the case study, and certain limitations of current participatory practices. The third section focuses on pedagogical contributions in the classroom, alongside possible applications in educational policy. Here diverse uses and applications are highlighted, broadening the use of DCR as a pedagogical tool, for instance as a guide for creating context-relevant curriculums. In summary, this section contemplates the implications of using DCR for institutional practices and policies.

To conclude, the chapter outlines the future directions of DCR and how these practices may be expanded in the field of participatory research. It compares other traditions of participatory research, highlighting DCR’s possibilities and limitations, and the centrality of networks for the progression and application of this tool in the future.