A Systemic and Transdisciplinary Study to Contribute to Decolonial Futures in Two Indigenous Municipalities of Chiapas, Mexico

We draw from participatory action research and sustainable livelihood approaches to integrate a systemic and transdisciplinary methodological proposal capable of contributing to decolonial futures for indigenous peoples. This methodological proposal is illustrated with two decades of research experience collaborating with Mayan Tseltal communities in Chiapas, Mexico, to contribute towards improving their life strategies. The conceptual framework employed was Local Socio-Environmental Systems, a soft system proposal made up of four sub-systems that are interrelated, based on their formations in a particular territory framed within specific historical regimes. Community workshops were organized, and ethnographic fieldwork was conducted. The findings were systematized through Grounded Theory coding processes and linguistic translation. The results focus on (a) showing the process of alignment of the transdisciplinary horizon from the interests of three groups of actors participating in the accompaniment (communities, academia and civil society), (b) analyzing the emergence of Tseltal ethos associated with territory, family lineages, community harmony and dignified life that complexified the initial methodological proposal and (c) detailing the reinterpretation and appropriation that social subjects made to the category “capitals” of the livelihood framework. We conclude by reflecting on ‘knowledge dialogues’ and epistemic decolonization to which transdisciplinary research has given rise, to the extent that the accompanied Tseltal communities are currently demanding recognition of their political autonomy from the state.