Abstract
Introduction
The paper assesses if and to what extent the different actors represented at policy conferences influence the outcome of decision-making, expressed in the approved proposals incorporated into the policy. It is assumed that the dynamic of interaction between governmental and non-governmental actors, as well as among non-governmental actors, impacts the power of influence of each actor in the respective policy. The hypothesis is that a more cooperative dynamic favors the reproduction of the actors’ influence in the conference, while a more competitive interaction tends to affect that influence and balance it among the actors.
Methods
We examine the influence of the actors from the proposals of their interest approved in six policy conferences: the 1st Conference on Aquaculture and Fisheries, on Cities, on Environment, the 1st Policy Conference on Sport, on Policies for Women and on Policies for the Promotion of Racial Equality. The paper compares the content of the approved proposals with the content of the policy programs formulated along the following years. By content, we mean the purpose, the intention of the proposal, and not the wording of the text in itself. By keywords identified in each proposal, they were classified (1) in incorporated or rejected and (2) according to the stakeholder. For doing so, the final document from each conference, as well as the government plans describing the programs of each policy, were analyzed.
Results
From this analysis, the capacity of influence of each actor in the policy was assessed. The results show that the influence of each actor in a policy varies and is affected by the political dynamics of the area, as expected.
Discussion
Although they are potentially inclusive spaces, conferences can generate results that are not representative of the actors represented in them, due to the way in which are combined their design and the political dynamics of the area.
Keywords:
conferences; proposals; actors; influence; policies