Sob o véu da linguagem: desafios e impasses no estudo das identidades

Abstract

This paper argues about methodological stalemates and challenges in researches which addressing the issue of identity. It is not about to confront different theoretical perspectives but rather, the aim is to analyze the scope and potential of methodological resources employed in empirical research. To promote this reflection we use an example of the results of a field research which is still in progress, the aim of this survey is to analyze the constitution of identities among seasonal workers of harvest sugar cane in Brazil. Despite the unusual context of this work situation, which is rural, poor, and motivates seasonal migration to other states; the aim here is to discuss the methodological approach of this research, which is based on interviews, ethnography, and field observation, among others. This is a different way of think. The question becomes not what a particular theory reveals about identities study, but what certain method reveals about this theme. Once you have to study the theme of identities, you need to dealing with subjective perceptions, image and symbolic representations, this sort of issue do not allow be apprehended in the first sight. Therefore, we intend to stress the importance of “context speech” in this sort of research.