Why are local party organizations in Brazil dying?

• Grant number: 23/06846-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science - State and Government
• Principal Investigator: George Avelino Filho
• Grantee: Ivan Chaves Jucá
• Host Institution: Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo (EAESP). Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/27645-8 - Electoral strategies and public policies: what is the importance of municipalities?, AP.TEM

Abstract

This research seeks to deepen our understanding of municipal party organization. It aims to identify recent patterns of evolution, or involution, in the number and distribution of municipal directories among Brazilian parties. The result we obtained thus far in this research project suggests an apartment paradox: why are a large number of local party organizations dying if they are electoral advantageous to political parties? We will rely on a mix of methodologies and approaches to answer this question. The plan is to use both interview data with party leaders at the local and state levels, as well as official electoral data from the TSE. Additionally, we will also implement an online survey with local organizations. The working hypothesis is that parties with a higher local organization death rate are more organizationally fragile, in smaller municipalities e those that are suffering from electoral losses. Party organization is a critical topic of normative import, and this research project will shed light on this topic which is fundamental to the proper working of democracy.