The value of participatory urban policy councils: engaging actors through policy communities

Despite considerable literature exploring Brazil’s participatory management, less academic attention focuses on Brazil’s public policy councils ( conselhos gestores de políticas públicas), which are permanent political-institutional structures on a range of policy issues mediating between society and the state. This article analyses urban policy councils in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State, and Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, considering whether this participatory planning tool advances democratic inclusion. We approach participatory planning through the lens of policy communities. Through these cases, we demonstrate that these two councils do not, in fact, enable all those affected and interested to influence and define policies. Yet even if the views of the most disenfranchised do not ultimately prevail, these urban policy councils contribute to publicizing urban policy issues and democratizing the range of stakeholders that gain access to the policy community. We conclude by highlighting suggestions for improving public policy councils as mechanisms for participatory planning.

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Increasing the number of psychologists of color: Public policy issues for affirmative diversity.

American Psychologist ◽

10.1037/0003-066x.61.2.132 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 61 (2) ◽

pp. 132-142 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Melba J. T. Vasquez ◽

James M. Jones

Keyword(s):

Public Policy ◽

Policy Issues

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Soft Law Engagements and Hard Law Preferences: Comparing EU Lobbying Positions between UN Global Compact Signatory Firms and Other Interest Group Types

Business and Politics ◽

10.1017/bap.2021.2 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-23

Author(s):

Onna van den Broek

Keyword(s):

Public Policy ◽

Political Representation ◽

Policy Preferences ◽

Soft Law ◽

The European Union ◽

Global Compact ◽

Un Global Compact ◽

Political Activities ◽

Policy Issues ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Although corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gone “mainstream,” the relationship between CSR and corporate political activities (CPA) has received little scholarly attention. This is problematic because firms potentially have a more sizable impact through their lobbying activities for socially and environmentally beneficial (or unbeneficial) public policies than through their own operations. This paper investigates if, and how, UN Global Compact signatory firms differ in their policy preferences on key EU proposals compared to other interest groups. To capture state-of-the-art data on firms’ policy preferences, I draw from the INTEREURO database, which includes firms’ lobbying positions on forty-three directives and twenty-seven regulations covering 112 public policy issues in the European Union. Statistical results show that Global Compact signatory firms significantly lobby for stricter regulation than non-signatory firms and industry associations, however, their positions are still lower than nonbusiness groups. These results are similar across various public policy issues and suggest that the regulatory preferences of firms’ participating in soft law CSR initiatives are more aligned with stakeholders' interests. This paper contributes to public policy literature exploring the relationship between hard and soft law as well as literature studying the political representation of divergent interest.

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On Defining Politics and How to Take it into Account

News for Teachers of Political Science ◽

10.1017/s0197901900004207 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 37 ◽

pp. 13-13

Author(s):

Avery Leiserson

Keyword(s):

Public Policy ◽

Social Science ◽

Common Ground ◽

Public Affairs ◽

The Political ◽

Political Aspect ◽

Policy Issues ◽

Elective Office ◽

Teachers And Students

This essay addresses the problem of teachers and students who have reached the point of trying to find a common ground for perceiving (seeing) politics. This may occur almost any time during any social science course, but it cannot be assumed to happen automatically the first day of class in government, citizenship, or public affairs. Hopefully, the signal is some variant of the question: “What do we mean by politics, or the political aspect of human affairs?” A parade of definitions — taking controversial positions on public policy issues; running for elective office; who gets what, when and how; and manipulating people—is not a mutually-satisfying answer if it produces the Queen of Hearts’ attitude in students that the word politics means what they choose it to mean and nothing more.

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Control of Fraud and Abuse in Medicare and Medicaid

American Journal of Law & Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0098858800005268 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 323-331

Author(s):

Harvey E. Pies

Keyword(s):

Public Policy ◽

Health Programs ◽

Effective Control ◽

Appropriate Use ◽

Public Funds ◽

Policy Issues ◽

Government Financing ◽

Executive Action ◽

Federal Initiatives ◽

Near Future

AbstractThis Comment explores issues concerning the control of fraud and abuse in health programs financed with public funds, specifically the Medicare and Medicaid programs. It summarizes the nature, scope, and possible causes of what some regard as a fraud and abuse “crisis,” and points out the difficulties and obstacles facing those who attempt to develop legislative and executive action aimed at controlling fraud and abuse. Recent federal initiatives in fraud and abuse control are examined, and a brief summary of key provisions of H.R. 3 (the Medicare-Medicaid Anti-fraud and Abuse Amendments, which may prove to be a landmark piece of legislation in this area) is provided. The author emphasizes that more effective control of fraud and abuse is necessary if further expansion of government financing of health programs, including national health insurance, is to occur in the near future. At the same time, caution must be taken not to neglect the appropriate use of other mechanisms necessary for reducing the costs of medical care and improving its quality. In addition, it is likely that efforts to stem fraud and abuse will raise important medicolegal and public policy issues that will require careful interdisciplinary consideration.

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