History, Path, and Horizon: Latin American Critical Discourse Analysis as a Research Framework and Tool for Investigation

Abstract

This article explores Latin American Critical Discourse Analysis (LA-CDA), highlighting it as counter-hegemonic methodological framework for discourse research. Building on Fairclough's Social Theory of Discourse and its developments, the study presents a decolonial perspective centered on Latin America, addressing the colonialities of power, knowledge, and being that permeate discursive practices. LA-CDA is proposed as a tool for social transformation, integrating concepts such as critical quilombism and Afro-perspectivist epistemologies. By exemplifying its application in academic and social contexts, the article argues for the relevance of plural epistemologies to overcome dependency on Eurocentric theories. Thus, LA-CDA is conceived as a path to dismantle knowledge hierarchies and promote more inclusive analyses aligned with local realities and the demands of historically marginalized groups.