Cultural Policies in Brazil: An Ideational Analyses of the 54^th Legislature (2011-2015)

Abstract

Introduction:

The article analyses the Legislative Proposals in the area of cultural policies presented to the Federal Chamber of Deputies during its 54^th Legislature in Brazil (2011-2015). The motto of the investigation was to verify the existence of some ideational paradigms that could approach the Propositions that were transformed into Laws in the period.

Materials and Methods:

Before, however, a description was made of the institutional context in which the Proposals were made, taking into account variables such as the origin of the Proposition, the Political Party of the proposer, the geographical region by which s/he was elected, the gender of the proposer and its relationship with the Permanent Commission of Culture. The contents of the Proposals, acquired from data from the Federal Chamber, were analysed using deductive and inductive content analysis methodology, considered for cases in which there are insufficient previous investigations on the subject and the categories derive directly from the data.

Results:

It is concluded that there is a paradigm of the state that directed the Propositions approved in the period, which perceives the state activities as a regulator and supportive looking to the development of cultural markets, which would favour the increase of citizenship rights through consumption of public policies of culture.

Discussion:

The article ends by discussing issues pertinent to a research agenda for ideational investigations applied to public policies and democracy.

Keywords:
cultural policies; legislative production; political ideas; democratic institutions; discursive institutionalism