Research experiences: between methodological choices and individual paths

Abstract

The author of this text discusses the presentation of a research report, based on the methodological experience developed in a PhD dissertation. The aim is to discuss the possibilities and limitations of research being conducted by the actors involved with the object being studied. Specifically, the author departs from the situation of occupying the place of a professional who is a participant in the proposition, implementation and technical intervention in a social policy directed to children and teenagers living on the street, and then she carries out a research on the ongoing experience. By contributing to the discussion on the historical-materialistic methodology, participant observation and "participant objectification", that is, the centrality of the method in the act of objectifying participation to, as a result, understand and seek changes in reality, the author defends the potential and value of research conducted by the actors involved in the work process. It is also important to recognize the lack of impartiality in the process, inherent in the researcher's vision, as well as to highlight the need of a theoretical basis to enable reflections that seek to offer a deep understanding of the reality with which one is directly involved.