Abstract
This paper concerns materiality, institutionality and representation modes as aspects comprising information as “proof” or “monument”. It criticizes the power/knowledge relation in practices involving probation contexts in retrieval and storage systems (e.g. the archive), as well as in various knowledge fields. We present the following hypothesis: while the objective or physical dimension of information prioritizes pretensions of representation of reality (emphasis on the probation/authenticity value), the social dimension criticizes pragmatic and symbolic aspects comprised and comprising in discourses about reality (found in the value of monumentality). Our aim is to analyze information as proof or monument from an interdisciplinary perspective, facing various forms of knowledge in Information Science, as well as documental, judiciary, historiographical, archival and diplomatic perspectives, which find in the document their theoretical, methodological, and operational subsidies. We indicate the transformation of materialized “evidence” in an institutionalized “thing” amidst the “proof” assumes: a) subjects with some authority; b) a document bringing together epistemological and political dimensions summarized in their permanent and material (support) condition, and its ephemeral and immaterial (pragmatic and symbolic) condition. As a result, we explore and exemplify epistemological and political implications of representation modes facing the statements: a) “the document, if authentic, leads to the truth”, guiding “information as proof” towards the representation of social reality; and b) “every document is a monument””, guiding the “information as monument” towards legitimizing discourses about reality.
Highlights
As one thinks of information as proof or monument, one assumes the existence of at least three comprising aspects: materiality, institutionality, and representation
This paper aims to analyze the social dimension of information as proof or monument from an interdisciplinary perspective, considering contributions from judiciary, historiographical, archival, and diplomatic knowledge, in addition to the pieces of knowledge so far approached found in the theoretical body of information science and documentation
Influenced by the 19th century positivistic ideary, “diplomatic truth”, concerning strictly the authenticity obtained from the documental criticism of internal and external elements of the document within the archive, was understood as a synonym to access to historical truth, something questioned in the basis of historiography itself
Summary
As one thinks of information as proof or monument, one assumes the existence of at least three comprising aspects: materiality, institutionality, and representation. This paper aims to analyze the social dimension of information as proof or monument from an interdisciplinary perspective, considering contributions from judiciary, historiographical, archival, and diplomatic knowledge, in addition to the pieces of knowledge so far approached found in the theoretical body of information science and documentation From such a perspective, we seek, to perform a reflection on epistemological and political implications in representation modes from the consideration of information materiality and institutionality. With no pretense of performing an in-depth review of literature, the selection of the authors in the approached fields follows the path of those presenting significant contributions in French-language theoretical perspectives, most of which consulted in translated publications, with argumentation centered in the following references: - Information Science and documentation, with theoreticians such as Paul Otlet (Belgian), Suzanne Briet (French), or those, in this tradition, outlining the domains of neodocumentation, as Jean Meyriat (French) and Michael Buckland (an Englishman residing in the USA). The archive and the archive document will be treated, in different moments, as inflection and starting points
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Encontros Bibli: revista eletrônica de biblioteconomia e ciência da informação
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
