Rogerian / Social-Intercultural Human Development. Epistemology, Dialogue and Localization

Rogerian / Social-Intercultural Human Development

Abstract

This essay proposes a critical and situated approach to Rogerian human development, linking it with Latin American intercultural epistemology. The starting point is the recognition of the locus of enunciation, assuming that every theory is historically situated and possesses limits that prevent its universalization. Under this premise, and drawing on authors such as De Sousa Santos and Viveiros de Castro, it argues that knowledge must be open to alterity and horizontal dialogue to confront the hegemony of modern Western thought. Interculturality is presented not only as a historical experience in the region but as an essential critical tool. Carl Rogers' person-centered approach is capable of engaging with "epistemologies of the South," provided it recognizes its cultural roots and abandons universalist claims. To achieve this, the use of the controlled equivocation method is suggested, which highlights the partiality of theoretical understanding and the importance of active listening in contexts of structural inequality. A key concept in this transition is "lugarización" (localization/place-making), understood as the territorial, social, and cultural contextualization of human development to ensure it serves as a useful tool for local communities. Finally, the text proposes an ethical convergence between Rogers and Paulo Freire’s popular education, highlighting their shared commitment to human dignity and the self-management of knowledge. The essay concludes that truly emancipatory human development is only possible through a critical and situated intercultural dialogue.