Anthropology and innovation: community development from culturally situated innovation

Abstract

Anthropology has constituted a relatively long-lived field in our continent; however, for Nicaragua it is a recent science that has advanced subtly in the communities through accompaniment from community development. The socioeconomic transformations of Nicaragua require economic, social and cultural re-structuring internal to the communities. Currently the field of innovation has become a benchmark in the first stage of youth, in communities, neighborhoods, municipalities, fostering economies through innovations and of course of undertakings, both public and private institutions; However, we must pause and inquire: Are innovations culturally relevant?, perhaps yes, or perhaps there are innovations that come to the public through the so-called “influencers”. In this essay, there is a reflection on the importance of ethnograph applied to processes of innovation in communities, focused on strengthening local capacities, based on the recognition of culture and focused needs.