Museums, the rural environment and the climate crisis: A discussion based on the Santiago Round Table

This article discusses how the ambivalences between the order of development and a new epistemic order, in the proposals of the Santiago Round Table in 1972, are manifested in the discussion on the relationship between the museum and the rural environment. Alongside the historical questions that the new museum was then opening itself up to, current phenomena such as the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic brought with them the need to broaden the topics covered by "rurality” to include forest, nature, and environmental issues, as well as the traditional wisdom of peasants, indigenous peoples, quilombola communities, etc. To unfold these ambivalences, the article is divided into four sections: (1) the first analyses how agrarian reform and the "green revolution” are combined in the proposals of the commentator in charge of discussing the relationship between museum and agriculture at the Santiago Round Table;(2) the second presents a small set of alternatives to traditional or industrial agriculture, complementary to each other;(3) the third deals with the differences between the development perspective and the proposal for a new epistemic order, from a discussion about the meanings of tradition and community for post-developmentalism;(4) the fourth particularises the previous one in a debate on education, which contrasts the idea of mutual nurturance with that of conscientization. Finally, it returns to the recommendations made by the Round Table to discuss their current relevance. © 2022, Universidade de Sao Paulo. Museu de Zoologia. All rights reserved.

Technology and apps in the fight against COVID-19 and the protection of personal data in Spain and Brazil

With the advent of Covid-19, the need for rapid and effective monitoring of virus transmission chains and early detection of outbreaks became apparent. In this context, digital technologies and data have a valuable role to play in combating the health crisis. Technological solutions, and more specifically mobile applications, can be tools at the service of governments and administrations to help control and manage the pandemic. However, transparency, reliability and proportionality in the selection of technological solutions will be essential. Users must have a clear understanding of what will be done with their personal data. The status of the “empowered citizen” should be promoted, giving them power and control over the management of their data, especially in the crisis. Governments will have to be careful and meticulous to ensure that the message citizens receive is the right one. Improving the readability of mobile apps' privacy policies could help reassure users. The “right to understand and easy to understand” will have to be rethought. Technical solutions should be less invasive for their intended purpose (Bluetooth better than GPS). Impact assessments should analyze the access or otherwise of health authorities, data transfers, data storage, approval of technology providers, etc. Opting for a decentralized approach where users store their data on their own devices would be the right approach. Public acceptance of these tools will make them truly ethical and efficient tools. In any case, technology and innovation in public health and regulation should not be at odds, but should be compatible and even allied. © 2021, Iustel. All rights reserved.