Information's sociocultural mediations: technology, inclusion and cultural policies

Abstract

The research project proposes a mapping of the "state of the art" with respect to reflection about the relations between cultural policies, access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and establishment of socio-technical networks in the context of Information Science. His focus is on cultural policies, informational developed from units of information (libraries, documentation centers and cultural centers) in Brazil, Colombia and Spain. ICTs enable new perspectives in this field, but at the same time, add a new layer of complexity to the process. This is on the assumption that, in the current context, cultural policies that incorporate the potential inscribed in the use and appropriation of ICTs play a strategic role in digital access, contributing to the "social empowerment" of individuals and social groups. We consider that the degree of autonomy and sociocultural conditions given for the appropriation of information and the uses of technology vary contextually. In this perspective, we adopt a methodology based on a set of case studies in depth, connected to cultural policy analysis proposed in various institutional levels. Believe it would be the best way to rebuild the informational practices effective within the units of information, such as libraries, and other cultural venues. (AU)