Dialogue of Water Stories as a Methodology: Storytelling Water Struggles and Embracing Resonance in Lake Titicaca

ABSTRACT: This article presents conceptual and methodological reflections that have emerged from a participatory action research project in the binational Lake Titicaca region. The ecosystem faces critical degradation due to mining contamination and untreated wastewater, which has led to the establishment of a series of local initiatives, as the recent recognition of the lake as a rights holder in Peru. In this spectrum, the research sought to bolster local defense initiatives by facilitating internal spaces for dialogue and co-production of knowledge, and by exploring avenues for strengthening collective strategies to transform water-related conflicts. Central to this study is the “Dialogue of Water Stories”, a community-based methodological proposal that integrates theoretical and practical components of dialoguing and storytelling. The findings demonstrate that this methodology effectively articulates the discussion of conflicts, unpacking several perspectives from multiple stakeholders. In this case, this led to the revelation of a plurality of community water values and historical care practices—particularly those upheld by women—while generating resonance for regional water defense. The article proposes the “Dialogue of Water Stories” as a transformative methodological approach to narrating water struggles and inspiring socio-environmental change.