Browsing by Author "Cifuentes, Sofia"

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    Articulating institutions and communities for integral security
    (2023) Solimano, Clara; Sierpe, Manuela; Rosati, Antonia; Daher, Marianne; Cifuentes, Sofia
    The objective of this article is to analyze the neighborhood insecu- rity and security, from the perspective of neighbors, community leaders and key actors of a social intervention done in a vulnerable territory of Santiago, Chile. Qualitative methodology was used, ele- ven interviews were conducted, and five focus groups were created, in which 46 people participated. Institutional and community ar- ticulation for integral security is the main result. The sensation of insecurity is described, associated to 'the external', which produces learned hopelessness, isolation and confinement inside homes, as well as low neighborhood participation. In contrast, the sensation of security is presented, associated with 'the internal', with the strategies of self-defense and personal and community strengthening. The effects of these strategies are reported, focusing on information and group reflection on issues relevant to security, the strengthe- ning of neighborhood relations, and the care and appropriation of public spaces. The scope of the intervention is recognized in relation to increasing the feeling of security and its limitation in terms of decreasing the feeling of insecurity; and recommendations to move towards integral security are offered.
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    Report Failure in Applied Research and Social Program Evaluation: An Invitation to Epistemic Integrity
    (2023) Daher, Marianne; Rosati, Antonia; Cifuentes, Sofia
    From a critical community psychology approach, this article seeks to visibilize social interventions that exhibit failings, thus exerting epistemic violence, by critically analyzing a microfinance project executed in India by an emblematic international research center of the Global North. Through fieldwork and interviews, we identified four shortcomings of the intervention: issues affecting the participants, implementation problems, limited effects of the project, and dissatisfaction with the intervention. This case illustrates how the prioritization of research objectives to the detriment of a proper implementation of the underlying social interventions constitutes epistemic violence as well as academic and epistemic extractivism. Based on this information, we intend to advance an expanded notion of epistemic violence, going beyond data analysis and taking into account the conditions of knowledge production in applied research, exemplified by a social program evaluation and their consequences for participants. This approach allows us to visibilize the importance of report failure and propose the concept of epistemic integrity, which is aimed at generating socially relevant knowledge while democratizing said knowledge, encouraging power redistribution, and promoting social justice. Regarding applied research, we discuss specific considerations for epistemic integrity.
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    The value of women coming together: Effects and practices of a gender-focused community intervention funded by a government agency
    (2022) Daher, Marianne; Cifuentes, Sofia; Saa, Madelaine; Rosati, Antonia; Hernandez, Angie
    The gender focus has been incorporated into public policies as a strategy to reduce gender inequity and overcome discriminatory stereotype behaviors. However, the state or institutional feminism has been questioned for being uncritical and not very transformative, where the critical and transformative nature of community psychology offer valuable opportunities. In this context, effects and practices of a community intervention funded by a government agency and aimed at the de-naturalization of gender stereotypes and its consequences in everyday life with vulnerable women, mostly older adults, are analyzed. Using a qualitative methodology, interviews and focus groups with women who participated in the intervention, community leaders, and key actors were conducted. A total of 46 people took part in the investigation. Data were analyzed using Grounded Theory. Facilitating and hindering factors influencing the gender-focused community intervention implemented were identified. Furthermore, effects linked to community participation among women are regarded as affirmative acts in response to social vulnerability, with self-care, co-care, and empowerment regarding gender stereotypes standing out as the main results. Finally, the value of women's gatherings in community spaces, linking them with the contributions of feminist theory, and outline points of tension and challenges facing gender-focused community interventions are discussed.