IPP professor is one of the organizers of IPEA's book on the role of Brazilian states

Ascom CCHLA and IPEA Agency
 
Professor Sandra Gomes, from the Institute of Public Policies at UFRN, is one of the organizers of the book: “And the States?  Federalism, intergovernmental relations and public policies in contemporary Brazil”. The work will be launched by the Institute of Applied Economic Research (Ipea) this Thursday, 29th, at 2:30 pm, in Brasília with broadcast on Youtube. The ceremony will be attended by the president of IPEA, Luciana Servo and the executive secretary of the Secretariat of Institutional Relations, Olavo Alves.
 
The work shows the importance of analyzing the role of states as formulators and implementers of national and state policies. The text draws attention to the influence of several factors that could explain variation in subnational policies. The publication can be downloaded in full at the link.
 
As a result of the contribution of 65 authors, from more than thirty universities and research institutes in Brazil and abroad, this group highlighted state governments in its research agenda, which resulted in the production of 24 chapters, organized into six parts. The book had the following responsible organizers: Pedro Palotti, from Ipea; Elaine Cristina Licio, from Ipea; Sandra Gomes, from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN); Catarina Ianni Segatto, from the Federal University of ABC (UFABC); and André Luis Nogueira da Silva, from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
 
 
In general, the conclusions are linked to the perspective of autonomy, with regard to the discussion about diversity versus inequality. According to the book, variations between states are expected, as they guarantee the expression of the diversities that characterize societies and enable the production of innovations and experiences that are disseminated horizontally and vertically. On the other hand, they can reinforce inequalities in access and quality of public policies between regions, posing challenges to the guarantee of social and universal rights that promote equal opportunities, especially in unequal federations.
Another focus is related to the discussion about the agency of states in Brazilian federalism, that is, what they do or do not do. There are studies that indicate a certain lack of action by state governments, while others identify that even in sectors with strong federal regulation, states still have the autonomy to propose their own policies, including to innovate and play the role of coordinator and inducer of public policies and services within their municipalities. The reasons why some states act and others do not are still not consensual among analysts.
The general understanding is that the states “have not left the scene” in the management of public policies, considering that there are variations in performance in certain sectoral policies, but which are still little studied. Actions or inactions – especially in their municipalities – effectively impact the living conditions of the population in terms of access to public services. This action is affected and limited by a set of factors that can be political, institutional, social, economic, fiscal, ideational or ideological-partisan – whether arising from national decision-making norms or centralization or the particularities of each context. The conclusion signals that the challenge of specifying each of these conditions must occupy an important space in the reconstruction of the research agenda on state governments in Brazil.