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- Convenor:
-
Jonathan Ngeh
(University of Cologne)
Send message to Convenor
- Discussant:
-
Simone Pfeifer
(Goethe University Frankfurt)
- Format:
- Roundtable
- Transfers:
- Open for transfers
- Location:
- Philosophikum S83
- Sessions:
- Tuesday 30 September, -
Time zone: Europe/Berlin
Short Abstract
The proposed roundtable aims to initiate dialogue and foster conversation on perspectives and practices that promote inclusion and symmetry among all actors involved in research processes.
Long Abstract
The proposed roundtable, "co-producing knowledge," aims to initiate dialogue and foster conversation on perspectives and practices that promote inclusion and symmetry among all actors involved in research processes. These research actors include, but are not limited to, researchers, co-researchers, collaborators, and other participants (including non-human actors) involved in knowledge production. The roundtable's point of departure is that knowledge production is entangled in power dynamics, making research a significant site of struggle between competing interests and different ways of knowing, often grounded in specific experiences. As such, co-producing knowledge challenges traditional top-down research models and the dominance of any particular form of knowing. Moreover, the co-production of knowledge aligns with the commoning imperative of mutual care to address planetary crises, a key theme of the 2025 DGSKA conference. For example, creating parity in research collaboration can generate inclusive and comprehensive insights for tackling interconnected global issues such as climate change, the threat of nuclear war, and public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The roundtable will address key questions, including how to integrate and enhance inclusive methodological and conceptual frameworks in research from design to publication, address practical and epistemological concerns in research, and explore ways to strengthen an inter- and transdisciplinary approach to joint knowledge production.
Accepted contributions
Session 1 Tuesday 30 September, 2025, -Contribution short abstract
Collaborative efforts of inclusion too often continue to uphold power dynamics that perpetuate systemic exclusion and epistemic injustice. This contribution draws on bottom-up, collective cultural practices to advance ideas for equitable commoning of research processes.
Contribution long abstract
From the cultural sector and academia in Belgium and beyond, diversity initiatives often focus on the inclusion of “the other” without addressing power dynamics, like whiteness, present in collaborative processes. Inclusion, under these conditions, frequently becomes an act of assimilation on white terms rather than a commitment to an equitable commoning of the research process with historically and structurally marginalized groups.
In this contribution, I’d like to critically examine the concepts of “symmetry” and “inclusion,” exploring how they can inadvertently uphold whiteness rather than dismantle the frameworks that perpetuate systemic exclusion and epistemic injustice. Drawing on the works of Grada Kilomba, Tania Cañas, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, and others, I learn from experiences of bottom-up and collective meaning-making in cultural spaces, often overlooked by traditional academic approaches and interrogate persistent power dynamics within attempts to make research processes more inclusive. Central to this analysis are questions such as: “How do we equitably common a research process within structures that uphold hierarchy and power dynamics?” and “What safeguards are in place to protect collaborators, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, from harm in these spaces?”
This intervention seeks to advance transdisciplinary and cross-sectoral frameworks for joint knowledge production that are rooted in decolonial and equitable principles. Researchers and collaborators are invited to critically question how collaborative and curatorial practices in cultural projects help rethink traditional research processes, recognize and dismantle invisible power lines and create safer spaces for commoning research processes.
Contribution short abstract
With the aim of reducing the ethnographic asymmetry, I shape my PhD inquiry on music and migration in a participatory way, taking the musicians’ emotions, perceptions and preoccupations into account. My future research should be co-constructed by all participants to meet their interests.
Contribution long abstract
My doctoral thesis takes place in the field of anthropology of music and migration and focuses on the orchestra Orpheus XXI which is aimed at musicians who experienced exile. Since 2019, I have carried out an ethnographic fieldwork in France and Germany and met the musicians where they rehearse and live. I use the method of go-along (Kusenbach, 2003) and do biographical interviews (Fischer-Rosenthal & Rosenthal, 1997). I take into account the musicians’ perceptions and emotions (Juslin & Sloboda, 2010) to understand what is at stake in their careers and lives. Spradley explained how ethnographic relations of inquiry are asymmetric, and all the more so interviews (1979). With the aim of reducing the weight of this power relation, I try to shape my inquiry in a participatory way by building a relationship of trust and eye-to-eye dialogue with the musicians, going several times back to them during the ethnography and the process of writing to discuss what I wrote. Conversation (Haraway, 1988) becomes a heuristic tool. Active listening (Hockey & Forsey, 2012) is also an opportunity to build a relationship of trust, while at the same time fulfilling an ethical duty.
In the future, I would like to go further and implement a more participatory research design, by involving the actors in the definition of the research so that it meets their interests. All the participants would co-construct the inquiry. Participating is understood here in the three ways that philosopher Zask describes: taking part, contributing and benefiting (2011).
Contribution short abstract
This presentation reflects collaborative heritage research with Tacana, Tsimane', Mosetén, and Waiwai Indigenous People. It examines the active participation of Indigenous researchers, the role of political entities, and challenges such as communication, decision-making, and gender equity.
Contribution long abstract
The transdisciplinary project Heritage and Territoriality: Past, Present, and Future Perceptions among the Tacana, Tsimane', Mosetén, and Waiwai, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation, examines how these Indigenous Peoples perceive and interact with the heritage of their territories. By integrating archaeological, anthropological, and ecological approaches with Indigenous ontologies and decolonial theories, the research seeks to redefine heritage concepts and promote sustainable, inclusive protection strategies.
This presentation will share empirical insights from three years of research, reflecting on the challenges of collaborative methodologies. It will focus on the active participation of Indigenous researchers and the role of political entities representing these groups, such as CIPTA and CRTM. Key issues will include ensuring transparent communication, respecting the decision-making autonomy of Indigenous representatives, and fostering mutual accountability. The discussion further explores the flexibility required to adapt to differing agendas, address gender inequalities in decision-making, and navigate the complexities of balancing cultural norms with equitable participation. By critically engaging with these challenges, the project aims to contribute to ethical, inclusive, and transformative approaches to heritage research, prioritizing Indigenous perspectives and reinforcing the collaborative foundations of territorial heritage management.
Contribution short abstract
This paper examines the collaborative structure of my ethnographic research on memory practices in the Rif, Morocco. It explores the benefits and challenges of how knowledge is co-produced between researchers, activists, and local communities, through the establishment of a MediaSpace in Al-Hoceima.
Contribution long abstract
This paper critically examines the collaborative anatomy of my ethnographic research in the northern Rif of Morocco. I analyze how knowledge is co-produced between researchers, activists, and trans-local communities, shaping academic methodologies and interpretations through the establishment of a MediaSpace in Al-Hoceima.
As part of an interdisciplinary team project, my research explores how Riffian communities in Morocco and the European diaspora engage with the legacy of (post)colonial violence through ecological care, art, activism, and (digital) media. In this context, a MediaSpace was created in collaboration with local partners to serve as a hub for knowledge exchange and participatory projects on memory and heritage, such as the collective curation of a local museum, the documentation of family histories, and the support of local artist networks.
While the MediaSpace fosters community engagement, it also raises ethical concerns. In the context of collaborative research in a post-colonial setting, those involved in Al-Hoceima’s MediaSpace must navigate different agendas of academic and non-academic stakeholders amid local political surveillance. This brings into focus key questions: Who ultimately benefits from collaborative knowledge production and where are the boundaries between cooperation and extraction? Beyond offering opportunities for innovative methodologies, collaborative research thus also calls for critical reflection on the implications of open and shared research fields.
In addition, the academic evaluation of collaborative projects remains a challenge. While participatory initiatives such as a MediaSpace, an exhibition, or a documentary series requested by and produced with the local community contribute to decolonial knowledge practices, peer-reviewed publications still dominate academic evaluation systems. This tension between ethically responsible research and academic career advancement calls for a fundamental rethinking of how collaborative knowledge production is valued within academia.