Guidelines for the construction of participatory science devices in urban rivers with a perspective from the global south

Abstract

Participatory science, also known as citizen science, is an open science practice in which individuals, both affiliated and unaffiliated with scientific institutions, collaborate on a scientific project. It is widely used for surveying various variables in cities and, particularly, in rivers. Several participatory science projects worldwide rely on digital devices for knowledge production, primarily using smartphones as a technological tool for engagement. However, there are regional developments in Latin America that occupy a similar niche, built from the perspective of the Global South's records and projects. What are the unique records of the Global South? How can we design guidelines for devices that reflect the motivations and concerns of the "Global South"? . This paper presents an epistemological-methodological reflection with guidelines to enrich participatory science from a joint analysis with situated collaborative ethnography through five categories: agentivity, co-construction, collectivity, inter-institutionality, and instrumentation. We ask: How can collaborative ethnography diversify and enhance participatory science practices? What specific characteristics of the Global South shape a distinct approach to participatory scientific construction? How many of these characteristics can be integrated into a digital device, and in what ways? This work analyzes various digital devices developed within the Global South.