Análise sócio-jurídica da participação política de crianças e adolescentes no Ceará

Abstract

The monograph revolves around the political participation of children and adolescents, with the objective of analyzing legal and social features that make the exercise of power by this social group possible. The methodology of the investigation includes documental, bibliographical and field research. In this work different conceptions of democracy are examined, followed by studies on entitlement and forms of exercise of power in the Democratic State of Right, based on the conceptions of people and citizenship. Through the conceptual delimitation of these elements, it is possible to verify who is legitimated to the exercise of power in Brazil, and further identify what place is occupied by children and adolescents in this process. Mechanisms of popular participation, positivated in Brazil's Constitution and infraconstitutional law, are presented, followed by an analysis of their possible utilization by children and adolescents. Furthermore, a study on the evolution of the conception of infancy and adolescence explains the status of this social group in the Brazilian legal framework and social imaginary. The challenges for effective popular participation are discussed, particularly as regards the social group under analysis. Finally, the experience of the "Rede Orçamento e Participação Ativa – Rede OPA", a network of children and adolescents from various districts of the city of Fortaleza, which intends to promote social control of the public budget, is evaluated. This experience is presented assuming the hypothesis of it being a possible method of children’s and adolescent’s effective political participation.