PROTAGONISTAS E CONTEXTOS DA PRODUÇÃO TECNOLÓGICA EM PORTUGAL
O caso da invenção independente
Cristina Palma Conceição*
Resumo Tendo como pano de fundo algumas das questões suscitadas pelo debate teórico em torno da natureza dos processos de produção tecnológica nas sociedades contemporâneas, observa-se aqui o caso particular da invenção independente portuguesa. Procura-se compreender todo um conjunto de escolhas sucessivas que estes inventores vão protagonizando nas diversas fases de constituição e eventual divulgação das suas invenções, tendo em conta factores como a inserção socioprofissional, a familiarização com determinadas redes de relações sociais ou a capacidade em aceder e manipular informações de ordem diversa. Os processos inventivos observados anunciam-se resultado da conjugação de questões de ordem não exclusivamente técnica, sendo antes profundamente pautados pelos contextos circunscritos em que tomam lugar e, nomeadamente, pelos recursos particulares de que os seus protagonistas dispõem, aos mais variados níveis.
Palavras-chave Invenção, inventores, sociologia da ciência e tecnologia.
Abstract Set against the backdrop of some of the questions raised by the theoretical debate on the nature of technological production processes in today’s societies, this article looks at the particular case of independent inventors in Portugal. It seeks to understand a whole set of successive choices that they make during the various phases involved in coming up with, and then (when possible) publicising, their inventions. In doing so, it seeks to take account of factors such as socio-professional insertion, familiarity with given networks of social relations and the capacity to access and manipulate information of different kinds. The invention processes observed by the author would appear to result from the conjugation of a variety of issues that are not exclusively technical, but rather are heavily influenced by the contexts in which they occur and especially by the particular resources which their protagonists dispose of at all sorts of levels.
]]> Keywords Invention, inventors, sociology of science and technology.
Résumé En prenant pour toile de fond certaines questions suscitées par le débat théorique autour de la nature des processus de production technologique dans les sociétés contemporaines, cet article aborde le cas particulier de l’invention indépendante portugaise. Il s’agit de comprendre tout un ensemble de choix successifs que ces inventeurs vont faire aux différentes phases de constitution et d’éventuelle divulgation de leurs inventions, compte tenu de facteurs tels que l’insertion socioprofessionnelle, la familiarisation avec certains réseaux de relations sociales ou la capacité à accéder à toute sorte d’informations et à les manipuler. Les processus inventifs observés semblent être le résultat de la conjugaison de questions d’ordre non exclusivement technique, dépendant plutôt des contextes circonscrits dans lesquels ils ont lieu et, notamment, des ressources particulières dont disposent leurs protagonistes, aux niveaux les plus variés.
Mots-clés Invention, inventeurs, sociologie de la science et de la technologie.
Resúmene Teniendo como telón de fondo algunas de las cuestiones suscitadas por el debate teórico en torno de la naturaleza de los procesos de producción tecnológica en las sociedades contemporáneas, se observa el caso particular de la invención independiente portuguesa. Se procura comprender todo un conjunto de opciones sucesivas que estos inventores van protagonizando en las diversas fases de constitución y eventual divulgación de sus inventos, se tiene en cuenta factores como la inserción socio-profesional, la familiarización con determinadas redes de relaciones sociales o la capacidad en acceder y manipular informaciones de diversa orden. Los procesos inventivos observados se anuncian como resultado de la conjugación de cuestiones de orden no exclusivamente técnica, siendo antes profundamente pautados por los contextos circunscritos en que toman lugar y sobre todo, por los recursos particulares que sus protagonistas disponen a los niveles más variados.
Palabras-clave Invención, inventores, sociología de la ciencia y tecnología.
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*Cristina Palma Conceição. Socióloga, investigadora do CIES. E-mail: cristina.conceicao@iscte.pt
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