Have you ever stopped to think about what really influences your choices, from deciding what information to believe to choosing a purchase? All of this is shaped by an intricate interplay between information and imagination. And now, Editora UFMG brings us a revealing work that delves into this fascinating world.

Information and the Imaginary presents a detailed analysis that unlocks the secrets behind the interaction between information and the imaginary in our society. In this collection of essays, readers are led through the foundations that drive our collectivity, offering crucial insights into the intricate mechanisms that shape our interpersonal relationships.

Organized by Armando Malheiro da Silva, from the University of Porto (Portugal), Claudio Paixão Anastácio de Paula, from the School of Information Science at UFMG and resident professor at IEAT (2020), Alberto Filipe Araújo, from the University of Minho (Braga, Portugal) and visiting professor at IEAT (2017), and Eliane Pawlowski de Oliveira Araújo, resident professor at IEAT (2022), this book presents unpublished texts by renowned authors – some of whom remain from the famous Centre de recherche sur l’imaginaire.

The book elucidates how the search for and exchange of information has become an integral part of our daily lives, often automated and prioritized to the detriment of understanding the underlying imagery. This one-sided approach, as the authors warn, opens up space for the colonization of subjectivity by manipulated ideas, resulting in less adaptive, and even dangerous, social responses.

At the heart of this study is the crucial notion that understanding the imaginary is as vital as analyzing factual information, since it directly influences the way we process and respond to external stimuli. In a world where the power of the collective imagination is skillfully used by those with political agendas, understanding this dynamic becomes an essential tool for anyone seeking to unravel these forces at work.

According to Professor Claudio Paixão, the relevance of this book is even more evident in light of the recent increase in discussions about fake news and disinformation. He points out: “When we talk about information and imagination, we are talking about two interconnected things. Our head is an accumulation of information that we gather throughout our lives. And they are influenced by the information that is circulating on the networks, in the media.” Watch the full interview with Claudio Paixão on Editora UFMG’s YouTube channel.

And for those eager to enter this intriguing universe, the book launch is scheduled for May 18 at Quixote Livraria e Café, where the authors will be present for an unmissable chat with an autograph session. If you would like to guarantee your copy, the book is available for sale on the Editora UFMG website.

Service:

Information and imaginary
Armando Malheiro da Silva, Claudio Paixão Anastácio de Paula, Alberto Filipe Araújo and Eliane Pawlowski de Oliveira Araújo (organizers)
Release: May 18, 2024 | Saturday
Time: 11 am
Location: Quixote Livraria e Café (Rua Fernandes Tourinho, 274, Savassi)
Information: (31) 3227-3077

(With Communications Advisory from Editora UFMG)