Civil Society and Participatory Governance: Municipal Councils and Social Housing Programs in Brazil by Maureen M. Donaghy

Author:Maureen M. Donaghy [Donaghy, Maureen M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Political Science, Nationalism & Patriotism, General, Political Ideologies
ISBN: 9781136225109
Google: Y6aiY9_TPXsC
Goodreads: 17578309
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2013-03-05T00:00:00+00:00

CONCLUSIONS FROM CASE STUDIES

In the case studies both the institutional rules and civil society–state dynamics strongly influence the activities of the municipal housing councils. None of the three cases exhibits the ideal model of participatory governance, if such a thing exists, but the variables presented here increase our understanding of the institutional rules and factors shaping civil society–state dynamics, resulting in an “imperfect” policy process in municipal housing councils.

My analysis of the case studies closely aligns with my expectations of how the institutional rules and civil society dynamics shape the effectiveness of municipal housing councils. In terms of transparency, however, I do not find that the rules for council responsibilities match the activities of the councils in practice. This leads me to conclude that civil society–state dynamics must be more important for transparency than legal responsibilities. For a level playing field, the party in power largely determines the relationships among actors and the access and voice of civil society. In particular, the inclusion of private sector members aligned with more conservative governments may reduce the access and voice of CSOs, thereby limiting the ability of municipal housing councils to include previously marginalized groups in policy making. Finally, the councils vary significantly in their agendas and mechanisms for deliberative decision making. In the end, however, the party in power strongly influences the agenda and the relative strength of civil society in negotiating their demands.

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