Reflections on nominations to public office in Brazil: the experience of three secretariats from 2011 to 2018

Abstract:

This paper seeks to discuss the potential and challenges of studying the politicization of bureaucracy in Brazil. To this purpose, it presents a comprehensive literature review, exploratory data analysis, and three within-case studies of nominations in ministry agencies from 2011 to 2018. The paper highlights the gaps in the literature about the role of interest groups in appointing nominees for high-level positions. As few studies explore the role of lobbying in decision-making about nominations to public offices, I turned to the specialized literature on pressure politics. The analysis of three national secretariats from different policy domains also provides novel theoretical insights in classifying and measuring the concept of politicization. I hope that these finding contribute to the study of politics and bureaucracy.

Keywords:
Interest groups; Bureaucracy; Party nominations; Appointments