Method, Methodology, and Technique: Conceptual Trajectories in the Revista Colombiana de Antropología (1953-2023)

Abstract

This article analyzes 634 papers published in the Revista Colombiana de Antropología from its founding in 1953 through 2023. The study examines the use of three key categories that link fieldwork to anthropological practice: technique, method, and methodology. It is a hybrid inquiry carried out in three phases. The first offers a conceptual examination of the three terms; the second presents a statistical analysis focused on their frequency of use—what we describe as pulsation, rise, and decline—and the third integrates a qualitative approach, identifying trends in anthropological practice as well as the impacts these have had on the institutionalized teaching of the discipline in Colombia. Among the main findings, the manuscript highlights the growing prominence of the category methodology and pays particular attention to participatory action research (PAR). The final section proposes a horizon for broader future inquiries that may contribute to disciplinary history and conceptual reflection.