Knowledge Organization in the Context of Postmodernity from the Theory of Classification Perspective

Abstract

This paper addresses issues related to knowledge organization (KO) in the context of postmodernity from the theory of classification perspective. The methodology is a bibliographic analysis of the representation of these issues, and in relation to modernity, in the Brazilian and international literature. It was possible to verify that: a) while in the modern context there is the idea that classification can be a neutral and objective mirror of the universe of knowledge, the postmodern theory rejects such hypothesis moving its focus on the social praxis and the community language; b) while the modern classification aimed to represent the universe of knowledge, the postmodern classification aims to provide a pragmatic tool for specific domains; and, c) if classification in modernity focused on KO due to the physicality of documents, with the advent of new technologies and a new space of production of digital information, studies related to classification seem to be displaced. We identify a trend in the area where studies on indexing can take a very important part in this context.