EDUCATIONAL ACTIONS IN ARCHIVES AND ARCHIVAL GOVERNANCE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN FRANCE AND BRAZIL

A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN FRANCE AND BRAZIL

Abstract

This research focuses on educational actions in archives, with an emphasis on French experiences and their implications for archival governance. It is justified by the growing recognition of archives as instruments for the preservation of memory, access to information, and the strengthening of citizenship. In this context, educational actions become fundamental in bringing society closer to archival collections, promoting engagement, a sense of belonging, and cultural appreciation.

The guiding research question is: in what ways can educational actions developed in French archives contribute to the improvement of archival management policies in Brazil? The central hypothesis is that these experiences can provide relevant insights for strengthening Brazilian archival governance.

The general objective of the research is to understand the impact of educational actions on promoting access to and appreciation of archival collections. Specifically, it seeks to: (1) analyse the nature of these actions and their role in access to archival documentation; (2) identify exemplary practices disseminated through digital media by French archives; and (3) assess how these initiatives influence societal awareness of the importance of archives.

The articulation between education and archival governance is viewed as strategic for the development of public policies focused on citizenship, transparency, and social memory. Thus, archives move beyond being mere repositories and assume an active role in the critical and cultural formation of the population.

The theoretical framework of the study is based on four main axes: archival governance (Germano, 2016), public policies and records management (Gonçalves, 2012), educational actions (Silva & Barbosa, 2012), and educational theories (Freire, 1997; Vygotsky, 1991). These references support the importance of educational practices as instruments for bringing citizens closer to documentary collections, promoting access to information, critical awareness, and the appreciation of collective memory.

Authors such as Schellenberg (2006) point out that archives are still poorly understood socially, often seen as bureaucratic spaces or mere repositories of paper. The archival function of dissemination and educational actions helps to break away from this limited view by using activities such as guided visits, exhibitions, workshops, and educational materials to highlight the relevance of documents and strengthen the educational role of archives (Gomes & Santos, 2023).

Archival governance is understood here as the set of practices and policies that ensure the preservation, access, and integrity of documents over time. It integrates archives into institutional information management, promoting transparency, accountability, and the democratisation of knowledge. In this sense, well-planned educational practices expand the social use of archival collections, transforming archives into spaces of learning and social engagement.

The research is also guided by educational foundations such as Freire’s critical pedagogy (1997) and Vygotsky’s social constructivism (1991), which emphasise learning as an interactive, collaborative, and socially situated process. Thus, the educational use of archives should not be passive, but participatory, encouraging critical thinking and individual autonomy.

In Brazil, Cunha (2018) argues for the urgency of inclusive educational practices that are sensitive to cultural and social diversity, while the National Council on Archives (Conarq, 2017) reinforces the role of these actions as instruments of citizenship. Within this scenario, the research proposes a comparative and adaptive perspective on French experiences, aiming at their applicability to the Brazilian context.

Methodologically, the study adopts the quadripolar method, which articulates four poles: epistemological, theoretical, technical, and morphological (De Bruyne et al., 1991; Gouveia & Nogueira, 2021). At the epistemological pole, the research adopts the post-custodial paradigm, viewing archives as active social agents. At the theoretical pole, it draws on national and international authors who discuss archives, education, and public policies. The technical pole involves data collection through digital questionnaires applied to professionals responsible for archives identified in an initial survey, as well as documentary analysis of publications and institutional websites. Finally, at the morphological pole, the results will be systematised, with reflections and proposals tailored to the Brazilian reality.

Data collection began with digital consultations of institutional websites and social media, resulting in the identification of 19 archives to be investigated. Questionnaires will be administered via digital platforms, respecting the limitations imposed by the absence of in-person visits while maintaining methodological rigour. Data analysis will make it possible to identify the degree of institutionalisation of educational actions, target audiences, methodologies used, and the impacts perceived by those responsible for implementing them.

The literature review will provide theoretical support for the analysis of empirical data, allowing for a critical understanding of the educational function of archives. It is expected that the research will contribute guidelines for strengthening educational actions in Brazilian public archives, expanding their role as strategic spaces for civic education, access to information, and the appreciation of memory.

As partial considerations, it is understood that investing in educational actions in archives is essential for increasing social participation and fostering a culture of appreciation for collective memory. Archival governance, by ensuring the integrity and continuous access to documents, supports the educational use of collections, transforming archives into environments of dialogue between past and present. Inspired by French experiences, this research seeks to contribute to a more inclusive, democratic archival model aligned with the principles of citizenship and critical education.