A theoretical contribution under debate: functional difference, higher education, and decoloniality

Abstract

This article problematizes the notion of theoretical contribution through its application to be field of functional diversity  in higher education. Based on the framework proposed by Whetten (2003), the study critically examines the criteria that define  what is considered valid knowledge in scientific producttion . Grounded in critical social psychology and decolonial perspectives, it adopts a qualitative theoretical-analytical approach basead on a literature review. The results indicate that such criteria operate as mechanisms of epistemic, exclusion by privileging Eurocentric, universalizing, and decontextualized models, contributing to the epistemic marginalization of the experiences of students identified within functional diversity. It is evident that knowledge produced from these experiences is often delegitimized for not conforming to dominant standards of scientific validation. As a conclusion, the article argues for the expansion of the notion of theoretical contribution to incorporate, singularized, embodied , and historically  produced knowledge, contributing to the construction of a more plural, inclusive, and socially committed science.