Híbridos e plurais: das propostas de definição à busca por uma identidade dos centros de memória

Abstract

This dissertation presents an exploratory and descriptive investigation into the identity and practices of memory centers (MCs). Although they emerged in Brazil during the 1980s, there is still no consensus on the definition of the term “memory center.” These institutions are understood as hybrid spaces, housing collections that include archival, bibliographic, and museological documents. Often underfunded, MCs rely on cultural incentive laws to sustain their activities. The research focuses on the description and typification of institutional profiles of MCs, based on their missions and objectives, their practices, and the characteristics of their collections. A qualitative methodology was adopted, structured in three stages: (1) literature review to distinguish documentation centers from MCs; (2) a survey of entities registered with the Custodial Archival Collection Entity Code (CODEARQ), aiming to identify institutions with potential MC characteristics and propose a typology based on the literature; and (3) case studies in Belo Horizonte (BH), including document analysis and field visits to MCs listed in the BH Cultural Map and the Memory Network of Institutions of Minas Gerais (REMIG). The findings highlight the plurality of Brazilian memory centers and suggest that closer collaboration between MCs and archival institutions can generate mutual benefits, contributing to the preservation and dissemination of documentary heritage.