Instituto de Investigaciones Históricas de la Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, México
Community governance refers to the way a community reaches collective decision-making on issues related to the use of natural resources, allocation of financial capital, or the solution of conflicts, among others. Some important aspects of community governance are participation, transparency, and the preservation of information. San Jerónimo Purenchécuaro was founded in the 16th century,and it has a particular form of community governance, with records being kept in fragile and unorganised documents.
The objective of this study is twofold. First, I investigate how decision-making processes happen at community level, and address participation and effectiveness of the decision making mechanism. Second, I explore how record keeping is done in the community, to identify present and potential issues that may put records at risk.
The questions I pose are: Can technology enhance the efficiency of community governance, address local issues, and consequently improve the quality of life in the community? And what are the implications for decision-making of technology adoption in decision-making processes, in particularly in the selection of authorities, and local governance structure?
I propose the creation of a communal digital archive for information organisation, preservation, and to contribute to continuity in governance. Additionally, I consider the introduction of new mechanisms for decision-making to address low and unbalanced participation.
