EFFECTS OF CITIZENSHIP IN THE ECUADORIAN ANDES: DISPUTES AND NEGOTIATIONS IN THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITIES OF ZUMBAHUA AND IMANTAG

This article explores the impact of citizenship processes in recognizing the relationship between citizenship and bilingual education in two kichwas communities in the Ecuadorian Andes. It picks up on the debates surrounding the recognition of cultural diversity and Indigenous citizenship, also referred to as ethnic citizenship. These approaches pave the way for developing a qualitative methodology, through an iterative process that involves analytical shifts with the purpose of traveling back and forth to the study field to organize, analyze, discuss, and modify the conceptual context, inquiry, and research validity. Likewise, the study also employs a comparative approach to deepen the understanding of citizenship processes among Indigenous populations in similar territorial settings, focusing on the educational community made up of teachers, students, heads of households, and community leaders. The study areas are limited to Imantag and Zumbahua in the Ecuadorian highlands. The article also compares similarities in citizenship processes to understand the nature and scope of citizen-building mechanisms, including those based on cultural differences. The primary focus of this analysis is on bilingual education that underwent significant modifications during the period of the Revolución Ciudadana (2008 - 2017).