FROM "EARNING A LIVING" TO "EMANCIPATORY ACTION" BY RURAL WOMEN: Knowledge Production and Dissemination in Associative Practices
Rural Associativism, Female Empowerment, Knowledge Production and Dissemination, Rural Women.
This thesis, entitled "FROM 'EARNING A LIVING' TO 'EMANCIPATORY ACTION' BY RURAL WOMEN: Knowledge Production and Dissemination in Associative Practices," examines the role of knowledge production and dissemination in associative practices, focusing on rural women in the Old Chico Territory, Bahia, in the context of Associativism and Solidarity Economy. This study takes as its object the process of individual and collective empowerment of these women and their relationship with knowledge production and dissemination, seeking to understand how knowledge production and dissemination in associative practices have contributed to the empowerment of rural women in the Old Chico Territory. Thus, the research is motivated by the need to understand how individual experiences contribute to associative practices, how the process of knowledge production and dissemination occurs in associations, and how this knowledge production affects the empowerment of rural women. Furthermore, the study provides a theoretical basis that explores Solidarity Economy, Rural Associativism, and the process of individual and collective empowerment. Given the uniqueness of the phenomenon and the significant contribution of its analysis to the expansion of knowledge, qualitative research was chosen, using the single-case study method, characterized by exploratory and descriptive research. As for the procedures, bibliographic, documentary, electronic, and field research were used, associated with data collection instruments, with data collection instruments including field research, document analysis, the application of questionnaires and interviews, with the analysis of the results obtained carried out using Bardin's (2001), content analysis method and the use of the IRAMUTEQ software. Thus, with the research results, it is concluded that knowledge plays a fundamental role in the associative practices of Solidarity Economy, contributing to the empowerment of rural women. This study contributes to filling a gap in the literature and provides valuable insight into the relationship between knowledge production and dissemination and the empowerment of rural women in associative contexts. Knowledge emerges as a strategic resource and a crucial tool for sustainability and social inclusion in associative organizations.