Estado, movimentos sociais e políticas públicas: meandros de uma reforma educacional no âmbito estadual

Abstract

This paper deals descriptively with the process of reform of the public education system of Minas Gerais in the 1980s, founded on the activation of spaces for civil society participation in public decision-making processes. In this case, the reformist sectors acted through the holding of a state conference with broad participation of the interested sectors. Beyond the descriptive emphasis, the paper seeks to suggest analytical markers referring to a still incipient debate, which seeks to advance in relation to the approaches of participatory institutions, presupposed in a clear distinction between state and civil society. It draws attention to the relevance of the performance of actors who sought to combine strategies for occupying state decision-making spaces with civil society action. It seeks to show that such strategies have made it possible to turn claims into effective policies.