A critical systematic review on autoethnography and Marxism: Traces to identify this (mis)encounter

Abstract

Introduction: In Brazil, autoethnography has been explored as a method for a short time, especially because there is great resistance to its use. Neither has autoethnography been validated by scientific journals in the health area. To complicate this scenario, when we think of a critical perspective, in addition to the description and analysis of the empirical in question, autoenthography has suffered from elements that reinforce the critical character of its reflexivity. Objectives: Given this gap, the objective of this study is to review the international scientific production on autoethnography as a research method and its potential dialogue with the Marxist perspective. Methods: This study will be a critical systematic review of the literature whose research question will be: “what does the international literature present on autoethnography in dialogue with the Marxist perspective?”. An exploratory search was carried out in the main international journals that discuss methodological issues and are open to Marxist and Marxian theory. 21 different international journals, mostly European and North American journals, were identified. When performing the search “autoethnography” AND “marx” in the chosen journals, 134 articles were found. After the selection process, 12 articles remained, considered included in this review, for full reading. Conclusions: The remainder of 12 studies that approach the method of autoethnography with the perspective of Marx's social theory seems to be an important finding that justifies the insistence on this path. In other words, as scarce as it is, there are studies that carry out this meeting.