Knowledge and new informational practices in the political-pedagogical activities of non-governmental organizations

PRELIMINARY RESULTS ARE PRESENTED OF A STUDY OF ORGANIZACIONES NO GUBERNAMENTALES DE ASESORIA Y APOYO A LOS MOVIMIENTOS POPULARES (NON-GOVERNMENTAL CONSULTING ORGANIZATIONS AND SUPPORT FOR POPULAR MOVEMENTS-NGCO/SPM) IN WHICH THE OBJECTIVE IS TO SCRUTINIZE THEIR INFORMATIONAL AND KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION PRACTICES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHICH POINT TOWARD NEW INSTITUTIONAL, THEORETICAL AND TECHNICAL PARAMETERS IN INFORMATION HANDLING. THE STUDY REVIEWS THE HISTORY OF NGCO/SPMS FORM THEIR WELL-SPRING TO THEIR EVENTUAL CONSOLIDATION AS A SOCIAL ENTITIES, IDENTIFIES THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND DISTINGUISHES THEM FROM OTHER SOCIAL EBTITIES, FROM WHICH MANY OF THEIR AGENTS HAVE EGRESSED, WHILE PLACING AN EMPHASIS ON UNIVERSALITY. THE ACTIONS OF NGCO/SPMS ARE THEN CHARACTERIZED AS POLITICAL-PEDAGOGICAL. NGCO/SPMs GRAPPLE WITH BOTH IDEOLOGICAL AND TECHNICAL-INSTRUMENTAL ASPECTS OF KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION, AND THEIR ACOMMODATION AS AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE. THE RESOURCES AND PRACTICES OF TWO NGCO/SPMs (FROM THE UNIVERSE SCRUTINIZED IN THIS STUDY) AND HOW THESE ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO SOCIAL MOVEMENTS BASED UPON INFORMATION/KNOWLEDGE PRODUCED BY ITS AGENTS ARE DISCUSSED. THE CONCLUSSIONS DEAL WITH THE FRAGILITY AND INCONSISTENCY IN THE PRACTICES OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND WITH THEIR POTENTIAL AS GENERATORS OF DEMOCRATIZED ACCESS AND TRANSFER PRACTICES.