Transdisciplinary research at the bottom of the pyramid: two practitioner-led initiatives in subsistence marketplaces

Ronika Chakrabarti and Ronald Duncan

Chapter 7 in How to Organise Transdisciplinary Research for Transformative Action and Knowledge Co-Production, 2026, pp 89-109 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter explores practitioner-led transdisciplinary research (TDR) in subsistence marketplaces through two initiatives: Investing in Maasai Women (IMW) in Tanzania and Neurofinanzas in Mexico. Unlike traditional academic-driven models, these cases demonstrate bottom-up approaches where practitioners spearheaded solutions to gender inequality, poverty, and institutional voids. IMW merged Maasai cultural beadwork with leathercraft and global market access to generate sustainable livelihoods, while Neurofinanzas fostered women's financial literacy and entrepreneurship to reduce dependency and vulnerability. Academics provided methodological support and contextual insight but played secondary roles, allowing practitioners to lead trust-building, knowledge co-creation, and adaptation to local realities. Comparative analysis highlights shared TDR principles of co-production, collaboration, reflexivity, and ethical trust, while revealing differences in resource mobilisation and cultural negotiation. These cases advance TDR theory by centring practitioner leadership, embodied and emotional knowledge, and culturally grounded epistemologies, offering a more inclusive vision for addressing complex societal challenges at the bottom of the pyramid.

Keywords: Bottom of the Pyramid; Subsistence Marketplaces; Transdisciplinary Research; Bottom-Up Approach; Practitioner-Led Models (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035346547
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