Deliberative systems in meso perspective: the subsystem of national public policy councils and their connectors

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

The objective of this article is to describe the subsystem of national public policy councils and to identify the main connectors of these arenas. Next, we intend to present the similarities and differences in the councils’ subsystems among the different levels of government (municipality, state, and union). That is, the effects of the problem of scale for deliberative theory will be investigated.

Materials and methods:

Research was carried out on the websites of the national public policy councils. Information was obtained for twenty-five councils regarding the composition of the councils, mainly the segments that compose it. Next, a technique from the field of Social Network Analysis, called affiliation network analysis or two-mode network, was used. The information was processed in the Pajek 5.0 software. The purpose is to verify the hypothesis that the increase in scale increases the centrality of the bureaucratic actors (governmental actors) as the main connectors of the networks.

Results:

One of the main results is that the national councils present a low degree of connectivity, unlike the findings regarding the municipality and state present in previous research. We also found a significant number of non-existent and/or less important hybrid connectors in the previously analyzed municipalities and states. The hypothesis was confirmed, since the role of government advisors as connectors in the deliberative arenas analyzed was quite expressive.

Discussion:

The article contributes to the literature by suggesting the use of techniques from the field of Analysis of Social Networks to identify the connectors of deliberative arenas. It also indicates the advances and limits of the systemic perspective, focusing on its connectors and transmission mechanisms. The original subsystems approach is presented and the methodological aspects involved are described. The third contribution problematizes the results of the analysis and proposes strategies for continuing this agenda in the field of research, especially the possibility of investigating public policy systems and the possible connections between arenas of different federative entities.

Keywords
deliberative subsystems; political participation; social network analysis; national councils; public policies