Between modern being and contemporary becoming

implications of space and time dimensions in the theoretical and methodological (re)configuration of archival science

Resumo

This thesis investigates the influence of modernity discourse on archival science, especially regarding the conceptions of space and time, and how these dimensions are deeply integrated into archival thinking. The study aims to highlight this integration and present theoretical-epistemological adaptations that resonate with the complexity of contemporaneity. The research's methodological approach is qualitative and exploratory-descriptive, relying on a comprehensive bibliographic survey. It adopts the method of cross-history, articulating archaeological, hermeneutic, and epistemological dimensions, to enable a multifaceted analysis of archival science, highlighting the intersections between archival knowledge and the conceptions of space and time. The thesis's findings demonstrate that the metanarratives underpinning modern archival discourse, such as the sanctity of evidence, provenance, the records lifecycle, the organic nature of records, and hierarchy in records and their descriptions, have intensely absorbed the principles of modern science, received influences from the modern state, as well as from modern conceptions of space and time. Furthermore, the research notes that the demands of contemporaneity, characterized by technological advances and fluid social changes, challenge the established archival foundations, requiring a critical review and update. To this end, the thesis identifies and discusses emerging theoretical frameworks and archival practices adherent to the spatio-temporal conception and contemporary reality. Among these new approaches are emphasized the archival multiverse, the records continuum, a renewed conception of record, new approaches on provenance, archival autonomy, participatory archives, community archives, and multidimensional description. The research conclusion emphasizes the necessity for archival science that, grounded in a robust and contemporary theoretical framework, can embrace the complex dynamics of both present and future, fostering an archival practice that is critical, reflective, and in sync with the ongoing transformations of society and technology. The thesis aims to represent a significant step forward for the advancement of Brazilian archival science, suggesting paths for the renewal of theoretical and methodological foundations in response to the demands of the contemporary era.