Da experimentação social ao "experimentalismo institucional". Trajetórias de relações entre Estado e sociedade civil: experiências no semiárido.

Abstract

This thesis analyses a process of “institutional experimentalism” that was implement by Lula’s1 Government, in order to establish a new paradigm in the relationship between the State and Civil Society, both to broaden the scope and deepen the changes that occurred in this relationship. Two aspects characterize this “institutional experimentalism”: firstly, the government’s decision to review the elaboration and implementation mechanisms of public policies and, secondly, the government’s initiative to incorporate, and strengthen, the successful Civil Society initiatives, using them as references for new policies. Two cases of “institutional experimentalism” are discussed. In the first one, the “experimentalism” is established around the Federal Government’s food security policy and the initiatives based on the idea of “living with the semi-arid environment”2 developed by the Paraíba Semi-Arid Region Network. In the second case, the “experimentalism” concerns the implementation the governmental policy of territorial development. In the territories, social actors and government bodies interact in a learning process that tries to establish negotiation, and share identities and bilateral commitments. Finally, the thesis presents some concluding remarks on the two cases of “institutional experimentalism” and their capacity to reinforce the relationship between the State and Civil Society and to consolidate the intended changes and the commitments that were set up in this process. Moreover, it also comments on how this “experimentalism” has contributed towards the establishment of a “new project” for the country’s family farmers.