Geografia das placas: do mineral às práticas sócio-histórica e infomemoriais

Abstract

Graduation plaques have not been objects of investigation in the field of Information Science or in other areas of knowledge in Brazil. This statement is supported by tireless investigative efforts conducted in databases and bibliographic records. Faced with the scarcity of informational material an d research on these plaques, coupled with a personal interest in this object that transcends decorative barriers and apparatus, considering its investigative potential and the various possibilities of analysis arising from Memory and Information Science st udies, the plaques become the subject of this dissertation. Assmann discusses memory mediums, places where information is recorded and accessible, enabling the evocation of memories. We agree with the author and understand that plaques, whether for graduat ion or not, possess a potentially investigative power, considering the previously recorded information on their support. Additionally, such plaques can be considered documents and monuments, as the former is not limited to conventional paper supports and t he latter to a large structure. Thus, with the aim of understanding the plaques as mediums of memory, the Center for Human Sciences, Letters, and Arts at the Federal University of Paraíba was chosen as the object of on site investigation. For this purpose, our general objective was to analyze the socio historical, cultural, and info memorial aspects of graduation plaques. The specific objectives included mapping and, from this process, identifying, understanding, and characterizing the socio historical and cultural elements, as well as situating and highlighting the plaques as mediums. Methodologically, the method and/or indicative paradigm attributed to Carlo Ginzburg were chosen. Thus, the analysis of the documentary mass considered a complex set of elemen ts defined by us, not neglecting less observable points of the plaques and verifying their construction context, relationship with other courses and elements, as well as aspects of local culture, among others. Out of the total of 228 registered plaques, as the analysis of the entire documentary mass was unfeasible, these were categorized and divided into "elements," composed of the physical components that form them. From this point, plaques from each element were chosen to allow a broad and diversified app roach in areas and investigative perspectives, thus, 14 plaques were analyzed. In this way, it was possible to answer our research question, which sought to understand how the graduation plaques of the Center for Human Sciences, Letters, and Arts CCHLA, as mediums of memory, reflect socio historical, cultural, and info memorial aspects of a distant past and can support investigations for the present and future. As a result, the relationship that the courses of the Center for Humanities have with personali ties working for social justice becomes evident, as well as the expression of aspirations for better living conditions and issues closely related to human rights. Furthermore, it is certain that the theme is not exhausted as an object of scientific investi gation, whether in the field of Information Science or in other areas of study. Therefore, it is expected that future research will further explore this field.