University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Communication

Para além de um fenômeno biológico, as enfermidades são fenômenos históricos, pois a forma que a sociedade a prova é demonstrada por meio como pensam e agem em preveni-las, transmiti-las, estudá-las, compreendê-las e curá-las, e que estão calcadas pelas práticas e discursos da medicina, pelas políticas públicas desenvolvidas pelo Estado em saúde e pelos aspectos socioculturais e econômicos presentes em diferentes comunidades. A historiografia elaborou diversos estudos sobre a epidemia de AIDS (Síndrome da ImunoDeficiência Adquirida) que procuravam compreendê-la perante sua repercussão na sociedade, as comparações com outras experiências epidêmicas vividas pelas diferentes coletividades, as particularidades geográficas de infecção, a mortalidade pela enfermidade, as respostas, os preconceitos e as metáforas construídas em torno da doença por diferentes grupos sociais. Este texto apresenta o projeto de mestrado sobre como se deu a epidemia na cidade de Itapetininga (1985-1999). O presente estudo de dimensão histórica busca compreender, pelos fios dos documentos, como foram incorporados discursos e práticas sobre a AIDS no universo de uma cidade do interior paulista. Por meio da leitura da produção jornalística local e do levantamento dos projetos e requerimentos propostos na Câmara Municipal de Itapetininga, farar-se-á uma reconstrução das representações históricas sobre a doença / Beyond a biologic phenomenon, illnesses are historical fact, because of the society rehearses experience is demonstrated by show it thinks and acts to prevent, to transmit, to study, to understand, to represent and to heal. All those elements are guided by the practices and discourses of medicine, of public health policy developed by Estate and by sociocultural and economical aspects presents in many different communities. The historiography elaborated several studies about AIDS epidemic aiming at understanding it before it repercussion in society, as comparison with other epidemics by many different collectivities, the geographic infection particularities, the mortality by the illness, the answers, the preconceptions and metaphors built around of the disease by many different social groups. This work presents a master\'s degree project about how was the AIDS epidemic in Itapetininga city during the early period (1989-1996). By means of documents, the present study of historical dimension search to understand, how speeches and practices about AIDS were incorporated in the universe of a city from São Paulo State countryside. Through the reading of the local journalistic production and the survey of the projects and requirements proposed in the Municipality of Itapetininga, a reconstruction of the historical representations about the disease will be made

This study seeks to describe the public communication practices of the authorities in the Dutch Golden Age. It is a study of 'state communication': the manner in which the authorities sought to inform their citizens, publicise their laws, and engage publicly in quarrels with their political opponents. These communication strategies underpinned the political stability of the seventeenth-century Dutch Republic. Concerned about their decorous appearance, the regents who ruled the country always understated the extent to which they relied on the consent of their citizens. The regents shared a republican ideal which dismissed the agency of popular consent; but this was an ideal, like so many ideals in the Dutch Republic, which existed in art and literature, but was not practised in daily life. The practicalities of governance demanded that the regents of the Dutch Republic adopt a sophisticated system of communication. The authorities employed town criers and bailiffs to speed through town and country to repeat proclamations; they instructed ministers to proclaim official prayer days at church; and they ensured that everywhere, on walls, doors, pillars and public boards, one could find the texts of ordinances, notices and announcements issued by the authorities. In the seventeenth-century Dutch Republic, politics was not the prerogative of the few. That this was due to the determined efforts of the authorities has never been appreciated. Far from withholding political information, the regents were finely attuned to the benefit of involving their citizens in the affairs of state. The Dutch public was exposed to a wealth of political literature, much of it published by the state. The widespread availability of government publications also exposed the law to prying, critical eyes; and it paved the way to make the state, and the bewildering wealth of legislation it communicated, more accountable.

This study assessed the digital preservation capability maturity readiness within the context of e-government in Botswana Public Service with a view to developing a strategic framework that ensures digital continuity. There some studies that have been conducted in Botswana regarding digital preservation but they did not provide a framework which could be used as an assessment to check their capability in digital preservation as e-government progresses so that digital information is continuously being used for decision making over time. The study adopted a pragmatic paradigm and embedded mixed method approach; whereby a cross sectional survey and case study were deployed in each of the 6 selected ministries as a unit of analysis. The target study respondents comprises of 5 Senior Managers, 4 Managers - Human Resources and Administration, 6 ICT Managers, 40 Records Management Officers,12 Information Technology Officers, 1 Performance Improvement Coordinator, 1 Project Manager, 8 Archivists, 1 Assistant Deputy Manager and 1 Deputy Managers- Management Services. The data was collected through interviews, questionnaires, personal observations, and documents analysis. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected sequentially and simultaneously where one form of data supported or complemented each other so as to have one form of data play a supportive role to the other. Data analysis was achieved through the triangulation of both qualitative and quantitative data in order to yield a single interpretation and conclusion drawn. The findings of the study showed that the Botswana Public Service has no unified national information systems used to manage public sector records leading to some ministries adopting their own electronic records management systems. Currently few ministries have implemented the electronic records management system and majority of the digital records are not preserved due to lack of preservation guidelines and strategies. The study further established the lack of preservation policies and skills in managing and preserving digital records in Botswana Public Service. In that regard, the study developed a strategic framework for digital preservation capability maturity readiness in the context of e-government in the Botswana Public Sector. The ultimate aim of the framework is to ensure digital continuity and make sure that e-government is sustained for the benefit of an open government and increased participatory citizenry. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

The global perspective on digital revolution is one that has received a rapturous approval from information professionals, scholars and practitioners. However, such an approval has come at a great cost to memory institutions as the preservation of digital information has proved to be a complex phenomenon to memory institutions. Guided by the multi method design and underpinned by the triangulation of questionnaires, interviews, observation and document analysis, the study examined digital preservation of e-government in Ghana. Findings revealed that the creation of databases, digital publication, emails, website information and tweets were often ocassioned by the use of ICT, e-government, and application of legislations and public policies. It observed that these types of digital records were in urgent need for preservation as most of the ministries and agencies were unable to access their digital records. While the application of a digital preservation tool (Lots of Copies Keeps Stuff Safe) was a familiar terrain to the ministries and agencies, there was expressed lack of awareness about digital preservation support organisations and digital preservation standards. The study identified funding, level of security and privacy, skills training and technological obsolescence as factors that pose key threats to digital preservation. It noted backup strategy, migration, metadata and trusted repositories as the most widely implemented preservation strategy across the ministries and agencies. On the other hand, cloud computing, refreshing and emulation were the least implemented preservation strategies used to address the digital preservation challenges . The study recommends that the ministries and agencies can address many of the digital preservation challenges if they leverage on collaborative and participatory opportunities. Such collaborative and participatory opportunities involve the use of experts from other institutions to share resources and use a common protocol through cloud computing and Open Data. It further recommends that the process of developing a digital preservation policy can be guided by a template document from other jurisdictions / Information Science / D. Litt et Phil. (Information Science)

The global perspective on digital revolution is one that has received a rapturous approval from information professionals, scholars and practitioners. However, such an approval has come at a great cost to memory institutions as the preservation of digital information has proved to be a complex phenomenon to memory institutions. Guided by the multi method design and underpinned by the triangulation of questionnaires, interviews, observation and document analysis, the study examined digital preservation of e-government in Ghana. Findings revealed that the creation of databases, digital publication, emails, website information and tweets were often ocassioned by the use of ICT, e-government, and application of legislations and public policies. It observed that these types of digital records were in urgent need for preservation as most of the ministries and agencies were unable to access their digital records. While the application of a digital preservation tool (Lots of Copies Keeps Stuff Safe) was a familiar terrain to the ministries and agencies, there was expressed lack of awareness about digital preservation support organisations and digital preservation standards. The study identified funding, level of security and privacy, skills training and technological obsolescence as factors that pose key threats to digital preservation. It noted backup strategy, migration, metadata and trusted repositories as the most widely implemented preservation strategy across the ministries and agencies. On the other hand, cloud computing, refreshing and emulation were the least implemented preservation strategies used to address the digital preservation challenges . The study recommends that the ministries and agencies can address many of the digital preservation challenges if they leverage on collaborative and participatory opportunities. Such collaborative and participatory opportunities involve the use of experts from other institutions to share resources and use a common protocol through cloud computing and Open Data. It further recommends that the process of developing a digital preservation policy can be guided by a template document from other jurisdictions / Information Science / D. Litt et Phil. (Information Science)