Public policies and social participation: an analysis focused on the Territorial Development Collegiate of Baixo Tocantins-PA

Abstract

This article analyzes the effectiveness of the actions of the Territorial Development Board (CODETER) of Baixo Tocantins-PA, focusing on the social participation of public actors and civil society in the consolidation of territorial strategies. To achieve this goal, the essentially qualitative research included bibliographic research, participant observation and 20 semi-structured interviews. The construction of data was carried out in September 2018 and, in a second moment, from February to July 2019. For data analysis, Content Analysis was used, which allowed us to conclude that CODETER is currently undergoing a moment of fragility with regard to its functioning process, mainly due to the lack of participation of civil society entities and public authorities. In the analyzes, the lamentations of the interviewees about the low level of participation and the assumption of responsibility by the regional actors towards the territorial development policy are evident. In addition, the interlocutors confirm the prevalence of particular interests over territorial ones in making decisions about the allocation of resources from the Support Program for Infrastructure and Services Projects in Rural Territories (PROINF). More broadly, what is verified in the analyzed context is that most of the actors involved with CODETER do not have a systemic view of the Collegiate, understanding it in a partial way, as a disarticulated local construction of a territorial dynamics.