Methodological approaches to community development in Latin America (Review)

Abstract

In the practices that take place in the social construction of reality, dominant approaches are evident, but giving an account of the same allows to reveal what is possible that constitutes emergent. From a bibliographic review, the absence of studies on the foundation and identification of the present methodological approaches of the aforementioned field could be identified. The objective of the study was to identify the methodological approaches of the scientific field of social studies about community development in Latin America. The study classified as descriptive, longitudinal - retrospective. To obtain results, methods were used at the theoretical and empirical levels, mainly the bibliometric method. The main research methods, types and approaches and techniques used were identified. A network of co-occurrence of methods used in the studies within the field was carried out. It was concluded that in the scientific field of social studies about community development in Latin America there is a predominance of qualitative studies. The case studies, the descriptive approach and the predominance of the qualitative perspective over the quantitative or mixed one stood out. The results correspond to the theoretical perspective traditionally defended by social research, where studies on communities are based. The methods of documentary analysis, survey, content analysis and ethnographic predominated.