Conhecer: debate entre o público e o privado

Editorial

Francisco Horacio da Silva Frota — 2025-10-13

Participation as an Instrument of Ecological and Social Transformation: Pope Francis’s Innovative Approach

Giovanni Allegretti — 2025-01-13

What value has Pope Francis assigned to the repeated appeal for opening spaces of “participation” so that individuals and communities can be active agents in the indispensable change required of the world and the Church? Drawing on more than 120 documents from his pontificate, this article examines how the term “participation” (already present in his predecessors) has been redefined by Francis, associating it with terms related to political and social transformation, citizenship, and harmony between humankind and nature. In the past, the concept was tied to static views of subsidiarity as a principle governing the division of tasks and the articulation of powers that regulate the “world of Caesar,” as well as the relationship of autonomy with natural society and its organizations. In Francis’s usage, the core cluster of meanings that links the term to everyone’s right—above all the most vulnerable—to be recognized for their capacity for direct intervention in identifying the most suitable solutions for enhancing dignity and improving the human and spiritual condition is enriched with new nuances. It engages the need to resist techno-bureaucratic approaches and exclusionary identity populisms, and to build new methodologies that make the active involvement of Christians in transforming the Church itself and its functioning more compelling. By analyzing the recently concluded Synod on “communion, participation, mission,” the study shows that participation has been central to Francis’s message and reforming action, centered on the fraternal and merciful figure of the Good Samaritan.

The role of tourism in social integration in Afghanistan

Sayed Mohammad Firozi — 2025-01-13

The main aim of this research has been to sociologically examine the role of tourism in promoting social convergence in Afghanistan. The study is practical in terms of its goals and expected outcomes, resorting to a survey method with a descriptive-explanatory approach. The research population consists of social media users and a sample size of 384 individuals has been selected by having a Morgan’s table as a basis, adhering to two criteria: a) participants must have taken a minimum of two tourism trips; and b) be at least 18 years old. Both accessible and random sampling methods were used. Data collection took place through a researcherdesigned questionnaire, whose validity and reliability were confirmed by means of a Likert scale. The analysis was performed using the software SPSS, version 26. Descriptive findings have revealed that the average scores for social convergence, except for the dimensions of trust and perceived deprivation, were above the midpoint and positive point. Also, variables such as gender, marital status, ethnicity, and number of tourism trips showed a significant relationship with social integration. A positive and significant correlation was found between social integration and its dimensions with tourism. Stepwise regression analysis further indicated the significance of the model, with the variable tourism explaining approximately 19% of the variance in the dependent variable’s dimensions. Overall, the research concludes that tourism can play a vital role in enhancing social cohesion, both directly and indirectly. Therefore, it is key to implement appropriate policies in this area.

Socioeconomic and epidemiological profile of women with breast cancer in Ceará:

Bruna Ferreira Bezerra de Macêdo — 2025-01-13

In Brazil, female breast cancer ranks first in cases and deaths in four regions (except in the North Region). The general goal of this research has been to identify the socioeconomic and epidemiological profile of women with breast cancer in the State of Ceará, Brazil, who participated in the “Pink October Walk” in Fortaleza, in 2023. Methodologically, this is a descriptive, qualitative and quantitative research study, with bibliographic, documentary and survey research designs. The data collection technique consisted of a physical and online questionnaire (Google Forms) and for the analysis, descriptive statistics was adopted. The sample totaled 51 respondents. It was concluded that the public health system is unable to meet the legal deadlines for diagnosis and treatment, resulting in an epidemiological profile of advanced staging of disease, particularly in women under 49 years of age, who are excluded from screening, are of mixed race, and live in conditions of economic vulnerability. This entails high biopsychosocial and socioeconomic cost for the patient, the family, and the State. Therefore, female breast cancer should be prioritized in public health policy

Black women’s participation in the municipal elections of Umarizal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Carla Kamilly Barboza Medeiros — 2025-01-13

This article identifies black women’s participation in the politics of Umarizal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, and its interface with political gender violence. Law No. 14192/2021 considers political gender violence to be any action, conduct, or omission with the purpose of preventing or restricting women’s political rights. The hypothesis of this research advocates the incidence and
prevalence of this violence, especially when crossing the social indicators pointing out that the most pronounced inequalities fall on black women. For methodological purposes, both a survey of quantitative data made available by the Superior Electoral Court (Tribunal Superior Eleitoral [TSE]) and semi-structured interviews with 3 candidates from the municipality selected for this research were carried out. This research study is justified by the fact that political gender violence is one of the factors for a reduced female presence in politics, according to the United Nations (UN); in Brazil, women represent 53% of the electorate, however, their low representation in institutional spaces is persistent, denoting a predominantly male scenario, conducive to political violence at any stage of the electoral cycle. When these inequalities intersect with black women’s participation, a constant attempt to mitigate women’s participation and delegitimize their race/color becomes even more clear. The political sphere of Umarizal exposes such a reality, since in 2004 and 2008 no woman ran for the Executive Branch and in 2008 only 4 black women ran for the Legislative Branch.

Dossiê Eleições municipais, representação política e democracia no Brasil contemporâneo

Emanuel Freitas da Silva — 2025-01-13

Em 2021, pouco antes da realização das eleições nacionais do Brasil, um livro relevante e oportuno foi traduzido e publicado em português: Por que eleições importam? A obra do renomado cientista político Adam Przeworski (2021), bastante conhecida pelos estudantes e profissionais da Ciência Política no Brasil, é fundamental para quem busca compreender a importância das eleições na manutenção e no fortalecimento das democracias modernas, pois oferece uma análise aprofundada e acessível sobre o papel das eleições na legitimação do poder político e na garantia dos direitos dos cidadãos. A questão central, para o autor e para seus leitores, é a ideia de que eleições periódicas não são apenas um mecanismo de escolha de representantes, mas um elemento central para assegurar a estabilidade democrática, sobretudo em tempos como os nossos, nos quais o processo eleitoral e a própria Justiça Eleitoral são postos em xeque por grupos políticos com pretensões autoritárias1. Em democracias consolidadas, as eleições funcionam como um sistema de controle, permitindo que os governantes sejam responsabilizados e substituídos de maneira pacífica.

Municipal legislative elections in Guarulhos, São Paulo, Brazil:

Vinícius Felipe Gomes — 2025-01-13

This study introduces the pathway of 3 evangelical candidates for reelection in the municipal Legislative Branch of Guarulhos, São Paulo, Brazil. Carlinda Tinôco, from the Republicanos and the Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus, Jayme Junior, from the Republicanos and the Igreja Internacional da Graça de Deus, and Vanessa de Jesus, from the Podemos and the Igreja Assembleia de Deus do Belém. Through legislative measures and campaign actions, we sought to grasp the dynamics in the dispute for votes among ‘native’ evangelical politicians in the religious field, focusing on the strategies of political arrangements during the term of office and in the electoral campaign.

Social participation in government plans of candidates for Mayor of Fortaleza

Ana Beatriz Rocha Guedes — 2025-10-13

Social participation has been part of public planning debates since the post-war period, as a recurring topic in institutional and political debates. This article analyzes the incorporation of social participation mechanisms in government plans of candidates for Mayor of Fortaleza between the 2016 and 2024 elections. Based on data extraction from government plans using the software MaxQda and documentary and content analysis, with the addition of a bibliographic review on participatory democracy and public agenda formation, it was sought to analyze how social participation mechanisms were inserted into these plans and into politicalpartisan discourses, conveying the views of these candidates on social participation and the way they use it to mobilize their voters. The research study showed a consensus among candidates on the need to strengthen participation mechanisms, especially those of a rather deliberative nature, in addition to warning about the perverse confluence that inhabits participation discourses. The study concludes that, even with the strong presence of mechanisms in government plans, there are still challenges for their institutional implementation, requiring political commitment and continued engagement of public policy players.

Women elected to the Municipal Executive in Ceará in 2024 and their proposals for women

Bárbara Imaculada Araújo de Oliveira — 2025-01-13

This study analyzes the proposals for public policy aimed at women, presented in the government plans of the winning candidates in the 2024 municipal elections in the State of Ceará, Brazil, consisting of a mayor and deputy mayor. The research adopts a quanti-qualitative approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods for a comprehensive understanding of these proposals. The documentary analysis focused on specific public policy for women, enabling the identification of relevant categories and themes. The results reveal 5 main axes of proposals: Axis 1 – Public Policy to Combat Violence Against Women; Axis 2 – Public Policy for Women’s Health; Axis 3 – Public Policy for Economic Development for Women; Axis 4 – Institutionalization of Public Policy for Women; Axis 5 – Public Policy for Social Assistance for Women. The research highlights the importance of women’s representation in elected positions and the need for feasible public policy that meets women’s demands. This study contributes to the discussion on gender inclusion in public policy and the relevance of paying close attention to women’s issues in public management.

Fortaleza and gender-related mobilizations

Edival Oliveira Neto — 2025-01-13

This study sought to analyze how gender-related issues were used in the electoral campaign in Fortaleza City, focusing mainly on the second round. To achieve this goal, we highlight the social media, with a more specific focus on Instagram. This choice is due to the increased importance of these networks in the current political scenario. Two methodologies, in addition to the bibliographic survey, supplement the proposed efforts. The first, nethnography, places a weight of analysis on the digital. And the second, textual ethnography, prioritizes the speech of a given person about a given subject, in this case, candidates in the municipal elections of Fortaleza and their speeches regarding gender issues. I believe that this symbiosis between the two branches of ethnography proves to be an interesting way to analyze the debates around gender-related issues and their importance in the electoral debate.

Nationalism as an electoral strategy:

Carlos Augusto Dias do Nascimento — 2025-01-13

This article relates the literature on nationalism with the content posted on the Instagram profile of Jair Renan Bolsonaro, an elected councilor in Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The research is supported by the literature that argues that nationalism is awakened in society in a banal way, induced by various elements of national identity to which a person is subject throughout everyday life. Conducted under the methodological basis of content analysis, this research study unfolded from 3 categories of analysis, all defined through the theoretical framework: a) Elements of national identity; b) References to national sovereignty and selfaffirmation; and c) Mentions of past traumas, historical moments, and national heroes. The text is divided into 3 sections (theoretical framework, methodological path, and final discussion), in addition to the introduction and references. It is concluded that the use of elements of Brazilian national identity was the driving force behind Jair Renan Bolsonaro’s campaign on Instagram.

Digital democracy:

Marcel Pereira Pordeus — 2025-01-13

This article analyzes the role of social media in the 2024 municipal elections in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, highlighting their influence on political communication and voter mobilization. The research has taken a qualitative methodology, with a hermeneutic approach, using data from various sources, such as newspaper articles, scientific papers, and information from regulatory agencies. Content analysis has made it possible to identify discursive and organizational patterns conveyed on digital platforms, highlighting the complexity of the interactions between communication, politics, and democracy. The results point out that social media not only expand the dissemination of information but create information ‘bubbles’ that can hinder the diversity of opinions. The duality between street and digital campaigns was a central point, revealing the growing predominance of digital strategies, especially among young voters. The research also highlighted the use of affective communication as an effective strategy, but one that raises ethical issues about the manipulation of public opinion. In conclusion, we emphasize the need for more effective regulation of electoral communications on social media, aiming to ensure a balanced democratic environment. A critical look and debate on the impact of social media on elections are key to fostering a political culture that appreciates the diversity of opinions and critical thinking, which are crucial for building a democratic State governed by the rule of law.