Applied Linguistics as a place to build contingent truths: sexuality, ethics and politics

Abstract

By following a view of the so-called epistemological truths as contingent, this article argues for the inescapable necessity of getting simultaneously involved with both research and politics in applied research in the field of language studies. This is necessary to account for the changes which we face in contemporary social life, which has increasingly become equally contingent. This argument is illustrated with my particular research route on issues related to the discursive construction of sexualities in school literacy contexts. The ethical, epistemic and political gains of this position are emphasized.

Keywords

• Contingência. Epistemologia. Política. Sexualidades. Ética. Letramentos escolares