Processes of direct democracy: data collection, analysis and international comparison

• Grant number: 11/10542-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: November 01, 2011
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science - State and Government
• Principal Investigator: José Álvaro Moisés
• Grantee: Rolf Jurg Rauschenbach
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Problem: The Brazilian Constitution of 1988 included the plebiscite, referendum and the popular initiative to extend the possibilities of citizen participation and by doing so, to democratize the society. However, these processes have been used only rarely so far, which leaves us with the question: Why? Is the little use of these instruments due to its inadequate regulation? Are the political actors not prepared for this kind of participation? Would other forms of participation serve the same goal in a better fashion? Method: All realizations of processes of direct democracy in Brazil will be documented on the basis of official documents, media coverage and interviews with experts. The Brazilian experience with processes of direct democracy will be compared with those of other countries in Latin America, with those of the State of California and with those of Switzerland and will be analyzed in case studies. Results: A data base of all realizations of processes of direct democracy in Brazil on the federal, state and municipal level and a thorough analysis thereof. Furthermore, answers to the question why these instruments are used so little and how it could be increased. Contribution: Infusing the academic debate in Brazil and abroad with new, fact-based insights, providing suggestions to political actors on how to effectively strengthen the political participation of Brazilian citizens and on how to structure the representative institutions and processes of direct democracy in a more productive way. (AU)