Revista Uruguaya de Ciencia Política

Process of formation and use of strategies of the state-society coalitions in the treatment of two projects of environmental laws in Argentina (native forests and wetlands)

Resumen: En contextos de booms de commodities, los procesos de formulación de leyes ambientales suelen producir debates controversiales entre diversos actores sociales y estatales, que confrontan para imponer sus visiones e intereses en torno a la normativa en cuestión. Producto de la resolución de esas confrontaciones los proyectos de leyes ambientales son aprobados o rechazados. Mediante el análisis comparativo de dos áreas de políticas ambientales (bosques nativos y humedales) que comparten, entre otras cosas, semejantes presiones productivas, este artículo busca echar luz al siguiente interrogante: ¿por qué procesos que tienen características similares producen diferentes resultados? Basado en la literatura sobre formulación de políticas públicas y coaliciones Estado-sociedad, este trabajo argumenta que la sanción de una normativa ambiental es producto de la puesta en práctica de dos estrategias conjuntas por parte de una coalición proteccionista: la estrategia institucional y la estrategia de opinión pública.

Abstract: In commodity booms, the processes of formulation of the national environmental laws produce controversial debates among diverse social and state actors who confronts to impose their visions and interests in the laws. As results of the confrontation, the projects of environmental laws are approved or rejected. Apply a comparative analysis in two environmental areas (native forests and wetlands) that have initial similar conditions, like economic pressure, this article asks: why process with similar characteristics produce different results? Based on the literature about public policy formulation and state-society coalitions, I argue that the sanction of a national environmental regulation is the product of the implementation of two joint strategies deployed by the protectionist coalition throughout the process: the institutional strategy and the public opinion strategy.

The militarization of the Ministry of Health in Brazil: steps backwards during the pandemic

Resumo: Em meio a pandemia de Covid-19, o Brasil passa por uma série de mudanças no Ministério da Saúde, gerando reações da sociedade, inclusive porque vieram acompanhadas de decisões sem base científica. Diante disso, esse ensaio apresenta uma reflexão sobre as implicações da militarização para a saúde pública. Primeiro, recupera-se as raízes da militarização, com ênfase para a história brasileira e o seu papel na dinâmica econômica. Resgata-se os recentes acontecimentos, com destaque para a nomeação de 25 militares. Por fim, argumenta-se que o processo de militarização viola a história e os princípios do Sistema Único de Saúde. Aponta-se um horizonte que demanda a articulação entre lutas por saúde e as lutas gerais dos trabalhadores, contra a ameaça da militarização.

Resumen: Durante la pandemia de la covid-19, Brasil está transitando por cambios en el Ministerio de Salud que generan reacciones de la sociedad, pues estos cambios llegaron acompañados de decisiones sin base científica. En vista de ello, este ensayo presenta una reflexión sobre la implicancia de la militarización para la salud. En primer lugar, se recuperan las raíces de la militarización, con énfasis en la historia de Brasil y su papel en la dinámica económica. Se destacan los acontecimientos recientes, con énfasis en el nombramiento de 25 militares. Se argumenta que el proceso de militarización viola los principios del Sistema Único de Salud. Se señala un horizonte que exige la articulación entre las luchas de la salud y las luchas generales de los trabajadores, contra la militarización.

Abstract: During the Covid-19 pandemic, Brazil is going through a series of changes in the Ministry of Health, generating reactions from society, even because they came accompanied by decisions without scientific basis. In view of this, this essay presents a reflection on the implications of militarization for public health. First, it recovers the roots of militarization, with emphasis on Brazil's history and its role in economic dynamics. Subsequently, it rescues recent events, with emphasis on the appointment of 25 military personnel. Finally, it is argued that the process of militarization violates the history and principles of the Unified Health System. It points out a horizon that demands the articulation between health struggles and general workers’ struggles against the threat of militarization.

Significance and practices of citizenship among young people in Uruguay today

Resumen: ¿Qué diferentes comprensiones y prácticas de ciudadanía encontramos hoy en día entre jóvenes uruguayos? La literatura muestra que no solamente hay diversas formas de comprender la ciudadanía sino que además estas distintas formas están relacionadas con el apoyo o descontento hacia el sistema político. Para el análisis se llevaron a cabo un total de treinta cuatro entrevistas con jóvenes entre 18 y 29 años. A partir de literatura seleccionada y la realización de un análisis temático se identificaron cuatro categorías de significación de ciudadanía en Uruguay: ciudadanos cooperadores, ciudadanos críticos, ciudadanos escépticos-antisistema y ciudadanos escépticos-alienados. Las críticas que los jóvenes realizan al sistema democrático uruguayo son diferentes, el ciudadano crítico suele centrarse en las políticas públicas que mantienen las desigualdades, el ciudadano escéptico-antisistema en los principios democráticos y el ciudadano escéptico-alienado en ‘la política’ en general. Si bien el estudio del contenido de las entrevistas a jóvenes uruguayos no puede ser reducido a estas categorías permite indicar algunos de los desafíos a los que se enfrenta la ciudadanía democrática uruguaya hoy.

Abstract: Which different meanings and practices of citizenship do we encounter among Uruguayan youth nowadays? Specialized literature shows that not only are there different ways of understanding citizenship but also that different ways are related to citizen support or dissatisfaction with the political system. The present paper seeks and analyses the meanings youngsters give to citizenship. To accomplish this objective we interviewed 34 youngsters between 18 and 29 years old. From a thematic analysis of the interviews and referencing of relevant bibliography on the issue four categories of citizen significance were identified: cooperative citizens, critical citizens, skeptical-anti systemic citizens and skeptical-alienated citizens. Criticisms youngsters have about the Uruguayan democratic system are varied. Meanwhile critical citizen focus on the public policies which reproduce inequalities; the skeptical-anti systemic citizen criticizes democratic principles; and eventually, the skeptical-alienated citizen criticizes “politics” in general terms. Although the content of the interviews cannot be simplistically reduced to these categories, it allows us to point out some of the challenges of Uruguayan contemporary democratic citizenship.

Choosing a running mate: selection of candidates for vice-presidency

Resumo: Acontecimentos recentes têm atraído a atenção sobre a vice-presidência. Nisso está o debate entorno da seleção de candidato para o cargo. Nos regimes presidencialistas, o candidato a vice-presidente concorre na fórmula presidencial. Apesar de ser um instituto amplamente adotado na América Latina, há poucos trabalhos sobre esse tema. Dada essa ausência, este estudo investiga os critérios e as estratégias de seleção de candidatos à vice-presidência no Brasil pós-redemocratização. O objetivo é verificar se os critérios e as estratégias presentes no referencial teórico são aplicáveis ao caso brasileiro. Os achados indicam que os selecionadores procuram candidatos que possam auxiliar eleitoralmente a fórmula, mas que tenham, também, habilidade governativa para auxiliar o futuro presidente. Em específico, são escolhidos os candidatos com extensa carreira política, vindos de estados populosos, que equilibrem regionalmente com o candidato à presidência e que sejam de outra geração etária.

Abstract: Recent events have attracted attention to the vice presidency. Therein lies the debate surrounding the selection of candidates for the position. In presidential regimes, the candidate for vice president competes in the presidential ticket. Despite being widely adopted in Latin America, there are few studies on this subject. Given this absence, this study investigates the criteria and strategies for selecting vice-presidential candidates in Brazil after re-democratization. The aim is to verify if the strategies and criteria present in the theoretical framework apply to the Brazilian case. The findings indicate that the selectors look for candidates who can contribute electorally to the formula, but also have government skills to assist the future president. In particular, the selectors choose vice presidency candidates with an extensive political career, that come from populous States, that are from a different region and age generation of the presidency candidate.

Neither CEOs nor Outsiders. Changes and continuities at the Argentine Congress in 2015

Resumen: La literatura existente sostiene que la llegada a la presidencia argentina de Mauricio Macri en 2015 implicó una transformación inédita de los elencos ministeriales, al incorporar actores con poca o nula experiencia política previa. Sin embargo, las transformaciones de los elencos legislativos durante el mismo período ha sido poco estudiada. Este artículo realiza un análisis estadístico descriptivo acerca de las características sociales y las carreras políticas de los diputados y senadores nacionales argentinos comparando la composición de ambas cámaras durante la segunda presidencia de Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (2011-2015) y la de Macri (2015-2019). Se muestra que las variaciones en los perfiles sociales y políticos son leves, lo que responde a la composición de la alianza que llega al poder en 2015 y a las características institucionales del parlamento.

Abstract: According to recent literature, after Mauricio Macri took office in Argentina in 2015, an unprecedented transformation took place at cabinet level, when new ministers with little or no experience were appointed. However, changes at the legislative level during the same period have been seldom studied. This article presents a descriptive statistical analysis about the social characteristics and political careers of the Argentine national congressmen, comparing the Senate and the Lower Chamber during Cristina Fernández de Kirchner second period in office (2011-2015) and Macri’s presidency (2015-2019). We show that variations in social and political profiles are minor. This can be explained taking into account the features of the new coalition in office and the institutional characteristics of the Parliament.