By examining the results obtained in the framework of a doctoral thesis on the political participation of people in informal settlements in the periphery of Buenos Aires (Argentina), this article reflects on the relevance of the use of ethnography in political science. From an innovative perspective with an approach to grounded theory, it is suggested that this combination allows the theory to advance in less developed subjects within the discipline. More specifically, an introduction to the topic of political participation is made and the advantages of the proposed approach are described. Finally, the possibility of complementing ethnography and grounded theory with other tools and methods for data collection tools is suggested.