Approaches and theoretical influences over records classification during the XX century in Brazil

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to analyze the theoretical and methodological fundamentals of the records classification, from a historical perspective in Brazil during the XX century. Although this archival function are continually stressed out as a main operation in archival practice, just a few researches concerned itself to outline great theoretical transformations that lead the practice in Brazil during this time. Thus, the starting issue was: “which theoretical influences and approaches outlined the records classification in Brazil during the XX century?” Insofar as this research holds a qualitative nature, so it proceeds to recognize the records classification relevance both to physical organization and as central element to capture theoretical transformations in archival practice. Subsequently it proceeds to bibliographical research of Brazilian and International books that circulated in Brazil and dealt with records classification of which it identified some theoretical influences from Organization and Methods, Library Science, Documentation, Archival Science and Diplomatics. The results suggests the existence of four great approaches in this scenario. A first one strongly influenced by a relation of equivalence between records classification and filling, a second one with major Documentation influence, a third one with some evidence of archival theory influence and a forth approach concerned with Records Type Analysis and Diplomatics. Then it concludes that records classification practice suffered a multitude of theoretical influences until the late 1950 decade, when it occurred an archival theory influence endorsed with Diplomatics and Records Type Analysis fundamentals influence.