Collective research and rural development: a proposal for knowledge generation

Abstract

This article aims to propose a reflection on the potential of collective research approach to processes related to the rural development. These collectives are understood as research communities where different social actors interact aiming knowledge generation, overcoming physical, institutional, methodological and epistemological barriers. This proposal takes part in the debate on the public sector role in the research and innovation development, and also about the participation of 'non-academic' actors in scientific development. The basic idea is to build collective forms of working, jointing private and universities in common operations. Rural development when designed as a non-interventionist process is repositioning the knowledge importance. Thus, the proposal of the collective research may be emerging as an interesting new arrangement between social actors present or related to rural, and favoring localized and contextualized innovative processes.