Redes de conhecimento e representações

Abstract

The subject of this article is the ornithological collections of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG), which were assembled by the German scientist Emília Snethlage between 1905 and 1921. The main objective was to investigate the political project of the Pará government that underpinned the creation of the collection, the role of these collections in the scientific debate of ornithology in the early 20th century, and the local knowledge networks involved in the naturalist's fieldwork. The research is situated in the field of the History of Science. Sources include MPEG's ornithology ledger books, Emília’s travel accounts, correspondence, museum periodicals, and newspapers. Concepts of "knowledge networks" and "representation" were used for interpreting the sources. Information about the bird collection is documented, revealing the involvement of various actors in the collection process, from indigenous people to scientists. Additionally, the research highlighted how these collections circulated both nationally and internationally, intersecting with scientific debates as well as social and historical influences. Thus, the work addressed the symbolic construction of meanings about the ornithological collection and aimed to highlight the involvement of local actors in the construction of scientific knowledge.