Mutual Learning between Researcher and Studied Communities as a Method in Liberationist Fieldwork in South Africa

Abstract This article argues that a liberationist approach to research should enable both researchers and communities to share the power of teaching and learning through knowledge exchange. Drawing on the author’s experiences, it highlights mutual learning in liberationist ethnographic research, where both researchers and communities act as interlocutors. However, this exchange is not necessarily equal; instead, researchers should recognize natural moments that could empower both parties and position them to teach and learn from each other.