The analysis of projects and the concept of channel: on the policy for children and youth in Brazil

Abstract

The practice of policy analysis and project evaluation has introduced a new perspective in the political theory in relation to our understanding of the political participation in third world societies. The present work hypothesizes that demands are formulated through projects and, consequently, the real process of policy formulations has great importance for our understanding of the political participation available to and practiced by different sectors of the population. Our main concern is to show, via a specific case study of the policy for children and youth in Brazil, how demands are formulated. In order to do so, the concept of  “channels" is used, i.e., the means the different sectors of the population create or have created to be able to express their felt needs in a way that the dominant classes and institutions feel able to respond. In the specific case under scrutinity here, the channels are established through the formulation and implementation of projects, i.e., through the links that are established between the different social groups and the federal institution responsible for the welfare policy for children and youth in Brazil.