Análise do processo de Participação Social do Plano Plurianual Participativo 2016-2019 do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

Public management requires a new relationship between the State and Society. It needs to incorporate the demands of the population into its planning, starting from the provision of channels and spaces in which the citizens can present their suggestions and have the confirmation that their proposals will certainly be added to the next public policy cycle. This specificity leads federated entities to promote innovative actions in the ways of making public policies that aim to expand social participation and improve citizens' living conditions. In this sense, this research aims to analyze the process of social participation of the Participatory Pluriannual Plan of the State of Rio Grande do Norte 2016-2019. To support the work, we take as a theoretical and methodological basis, the model of procedure evaluation called “Ladder of Citizen Participation” developed by Sherry R. Arnstein (2002), which presents the types of participation and “non-participation”. The Methodology adopted in the research is of a descriptive-exploratory nature, aided by the Case Study as a research strategy worked by Robert Yin (2001). Therefore, the methodological approach used in the work is that of mixed methods approached by Creswell (2010), which uses the Exploratory Strategy, through qualitative data (interview scripts the categories of actors) and quantitative data (percentage analysis of the presence lists thematic workshops, by category of representation), in addition to the use of documents made available by official entities. Thus, it is concluded that the social participation in the elaboration of the Participative Pluriannual Plan of Rio Grande do Norte took place through levels of concession of minimum power. Such a situation can be observed especially through the Consultation stage, in which social actors listen and are heard, but with limited power and without guarantees of the status quo changing.