Exploring the Misalignment between Ethnomathematics and Cultural Artifact-Based Research

Muhammad Zia Alghar, Nisa Cahya Pertiwi Lubis, Rina Sari Lubis, Aslamiah Aslamiah

Abstract


Ethnomathematics emerged as a movement that rejected the hegemony of formal European mathematics and recognized local mathematical systems as socio-cultural practices. This study aims to explore the misalignment between the philosophical vision of ethnomathematics and contemporary mathematics research practices based on cultural artifacts. This study uses a qualitative approach with a literature review. Data were collected from books, articles, and proceedings, which were analyzed through thematic content analysis. The results show that many studies claim to be “ethnomathematics” simply because they find mathematical forms in artifacts. Many studies do not investigate whether the communities that own the culture have mathematical awareness, terminology, or procedures related to these objects. This practice results in epistemological reduction, distortion of cultural values, and blurring of boundaries with contextual approaches such as RME, CTL, or ethnomodeling. This study contributes to reaffirming the validity of ethnomathematics, which demands ethnographic involvement, an emic perspective, and respect for cultural epistemic autonomy.

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References


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