The Center for Interdisciplinary Ethnography – Kaleidos, Ecuador and COVID19
Ecuador, like so many other countries in the world is heavily affected by the COVID19 pandemic. We remain in a state of emergency though given the added economic difficulties we’ve begun to see some relaxations in our strict confinement. Kaleidos-Center for Interdisciplinary Ethnography has opened a virtual space for reflection from various perspectives on the ongoing situation as a result of this new virus. Kaleidos is documenting, among other topics, human rights economic violations, the carceral state, gender violence, rural ecologies, data distrust, and public health. It has also taken a critical stance against the government’s ongoing austerity agenda. To learn more about their work, listen to their podcasts, read their stories, and join the conversation please visit Kaleido’s website.
About Kaleidos
The Center for Interdisciplinary Ethnography – Kaleidos was created on April 5, 2018 by the University of Cuenca and FLACSO – Ecuador, as a space for interdisciplinary academic production dedicated to experimental and collaborative ethnography. It was co-founded by Maka Suarez, Jorge Nunez and Israel Idrovo Landy. Kaleidos’ mission is to advance knowledge that allows us to address the challenges of the 21st century by building bridges between different disciplines and knowledge in search of answers to urgent problems affecting our societies.
We think this can be understood through what we would like to call a “kaleidoscopic ethnographic prism”: research that informs local problems through socially engaged mechanisms and by combining multidisciplinary perspectives to develop innovative ways of addressing global challenges. In this sense, Kaleidos develops academic research with local relevance but with an international scope.