Poverty in the eyes of Brazilian elites

This paper discusses data from a survey and in-depth interviews on elite perceptions of poverty in Brazil. De Swaan tried to identify the circumstances under which elites are willing to mobilize resources in order to promote poverty reduction. This paper questions if de Swaan's analysis applies to Brazil. The main finding is that two parts of de Swaan's thesis do apply: that poverty is a problem for the rich in the sense that it generates negative externalities that they would like to reduce; and that the elite believe that there are effective remedies. What is missing for Brazilian elites is the third element, namely that the elite see poverty as their responsibility to do something about it

Processes and National Dilemmas: The Interplay of Old and New Repertoires of Social Identity and Inclusion

In this article, we explore the impact of the global cultural transformation that reconciles the values of equality and difference as parameters of the good life. We argue that the idea that social justice incorporates both the value of equality and the value of difference expresses a broad cultural transformation, one that poses new challenges society has to confront to deal with the social distribution issue. Moreover, we sustain that while this challenge is present everywhere, responses to it vary not only as a matter of policy choice, but also as consequences of the fact that possibilities are circumscribed by the particular trajectories of nation and state building. While there are forces at play today that make us aware of fallacious conflations between nation and state, it remains relevant to look at national contexts as meaningful frameworks in order to understand what is going on and to explore possible alternatives to deal with emerging issues. Moreover, looking at ways people in different historical settings experience global transformations is relevant, not only to illuminate policy choices to deal with them, but also to enrich our theoretical understanding of the changes at play. The adoption of a historical sociological approach contributes to illuminate particular national trajectories without loosing sight of possible commonalities that make it possible to contribute to the effort to reach general explanations. Taking into account the above, we focus on the way Brazilians perceive both equality and difference and comment on the uncertain consequences of the interplay of old and new repertoires of social identity and inclusion. In particular, we look at the ethno-racial aspect, the most salient issue in the current debate about difference. Empirically, we analyze perceptions of inequality and difference among different segments of the Brazilian population. We confer special attention to two issues: the relationship between race and national identification and support to affirmative action, the most traditional policy to take into account particular identities while distributing social resources. First, we find that in Brazil racial and national identification do not seem to be in conflict. Second, we find that most Brazilians approve racially-targeted affirmative action with no significant different according to racial identification but with significant differences according to socio-economic differentiations

The uncertain consequences of the interplay of old and new repertoires of social identity and inclusion

In this article, we explore the impact of the global cultural transformation that reconciles the values of equality and difference as parameters of the good life. Focusing on the way Brazilians perceive both equality and difference, we comment on the uncertain consequences of the interplay of old and new repertoires of social identity and inclusion. In particular, we look at the ethnoracial aspect, the most salient issue on the current debate about difference. Empirically, we analyze perceptions of inequality and difference among different segments of the Brazilian population. In particular, we focus on two issues. First, we discuss the interface of ethnoracial and national identifications in the country. Second, we explore perceptions about inequality and difference and their relationship, with special emphasis on attitudes towards affirmative action – the most traditional policy to take into account particular identities while distributing social resources – among distinct socioeconomic and racial groups

Elite Perceptions of Poverty: Brazil

Summaries The article discusses how Brazilian elites view poverty and social inequality and offers some preliminary comparisons with the perceptions of elites in Bangladesh and South Africa. Based upon survey research, in?depth interviews and newspapers material, it deals with values, beliefs and concrete interests as interrelated dimensions which conform the way the elites see poverty in both cognitive and evaluative terms

Procesos y dilemas nacionales: la interacción entre viejos y nuevos repertorios de identidad social e inclusión

In this article, we explore the impact of the global cultural transformation that reconciles the values of equality and difference as parameters of the good life. We argue that the idea that social justice incorporates both the value of equality and the value ofdifference expresses a broad cultural transformation, one that poses new challenges society has to confront to deal with the social distribution issue. Moreover, we sustain that while this challenge is present everywhere, responses to it vary not only as a matter ofpolicy choice, but also as consequences of the fact that possibilities are circumscribed by the particular trajectories of nation and state building. While there are forces at play today that make us aware of fallacious conflations between nation and state, it remains relevant to look at national contexts as meaningful frameworks in order to understand what is going on and to explore possible alternatives to deal with emerging issues. Moreover, looking at ways people in different historical settings experience global transformations is relevant, not only to illuminate policy choices to deal with them, but also to enrich our theoretical understanding of the changes at play. The adoption of a historical sociologicalapproach contributes to illuminate particular national trajectories without loosing sight of possible commonalities that make it possible to contribute to the effort to reach general explanations.Taking into account the above, we focus on the way Brazilians perceive both equality and difference and comment on the uncertain consequences of the interplay of old and new repertoires of social identity and inclusion. In particular, we look at the ethno-racialaspect, the most salient issue in the current debate about difference. Empirically, we analyze perceptions of inequality and difference among different segments of the Brazilian population. We confer special attention to two issues: the relationship between race and national identification and support to affirmative action, the most traditional policy to take into account particular identities while distributing social resources. First, we find that in Brazil racial and national identification do not seem to be in conflict. Second, wefind that most Brazilians approve racially-targeted affirmative action with no significant different according to racial identification but with significant differences according to socio-economic differentiationsEl artículo tiene como telón de fondo el proceso global de transformación cultural que introduce el concepto según el cual tanto la igualdad como la diferencia son componenteslegítimos de la idea de “buena-vida”. El argumento central del artículo destaca que, a medida que el ideal de justicia contemporáneo incorpora estos dos valores (igualdad y diferencia), permite una transformación cultural de gran alcance, al punto deque esta reubica bajo nuevos parámetros la cuestión de la distribución social de bienes y valores. El trabajo plantea también que, si bien ese reto de la reconfiguración de la idea de justicia convoca a toda la sociedad en su amplitud, la variabilidad de las respuestas no se limita a una cuestión de elección entre alternativas de política pública. Más bien, las opciones disponibles resultan ser determinadas también por las trayectorias particulares de construcción de los Estados y de las naciones. Si bien hoy en día somos testigos de la fuerza que nos reitera lo falaz de todo atajoconceptual que favorezca la confusión entre las nociones de Estado y nación, la mirada a los contextos nacionales permite mantener un lente privilegiado para la comprensión del cambio y la exploración de alternativas para enfrentar temas y asuntos emergentes. Másaún, la perspectiva que analiza la forma en que diferentes grupos humanos experimentan la transformación global, según los diferentes contextos históricos, no solo aclara las opciones de política pública, sino que enriquece nuestra comprensión de esas mismas transformaciones. De igual forma, el artículo sustenta que la adopción de una perspectiva analítica histórico-sociológica permite la comprensión de las trayectorias nacionales particulares sin dejar de enfocarse en los posibles elementos comunes que deriven en la búsqueda de explicaciones generales. Se discuten las percepciones de los brasileros acerca de la igualdad y la diferencia yse analizan las consecuencias inciertas de la interacción entre viejos y nuevos repertorios de identidad e inclusión social. Para ello, la discusión privilegia el aspecto etno-racial, que es el que más se destaca en el debate actual. Empíricamente, el análisis se enfoca en las percepciones acerca de la igualdad y la diferencia entre distintos segmentos de la población brasileña. Dos cuestiones merecen atención especial: la interfase de las identidades etno-raciales y nacionales en el país y el apoyo otorgado a las acciones afirmativas, —la opción tradicional para desarrollar políticas incluyentes frente a identidades específicas—, mientras al mismo tiempo se lleva a cabo una redistribución de recursos sociales. Enprimer lugar, estos análisis no señalan la existencia de conflictos significativos en la forma como los brasileros concilian sus identidades raciales y nacionales. En segundo lugar, encuanto a las políticas de acción afirmativa, no hemos encontrado diferencias significativas en las opiniones de aquellos que se identifican como negros o blancos, pero encontramosdiferencias entre los distintos grupos socioeconómicos.O artigo tem como pano de fundo o processo global de transformação cultural que introduz a ideia segundo a qual igualdade e diferença são ambas componentes legítimasde um ideal normativo esposado pela sociedade. Salienta que, na medida em que o ideal de justiça contemporâneo incorpora esses dois valores (igualdade e diferença), assistimos a uma mudança significativa no plano cultural, e que esta coloca em novos termos a questão da distribuição social de bens e valores. Argumenta também que, embora esse novo desafio se coloque para toda a sociedade, a variabilidade das respostas a ele não se limitaa uma questão de escolha entre alternativas de policy. As opções disponíveis são também circunscritas pelas trajetórias particulares de construção dos estados nacionais. Se, por um lado, observamos processos históricos que mais e mais desnaturalizam a fusão entreestado e nação, permanece crucial levar em conta os contextos nacionais tanto para entender as mudanças em processo como para melhor identificar as alternativas de ação que se apresentam em diferentes contextos. Os autores sustentam também que a adoção de uma perspectiva analítica histórico-sociológica contribuiu para iluminar trajetórias nacionais particulares, sem perder de vista as possíveis comunalidades que permitem contribuir com a busca de explicações gerais. O artigo discute as percepções dos brasileiros sobre a igualdade e a diferença enfatizando que permanecem incertas as consequências da interação entre velhos e novosrepertórios de identidade e inclusão social. Para tanto, a discussão privilegia o aspecto etnorracial, que é o que mais se destaca no debate atual. Empiricamente, a análise se volta para as percepções sobre igualdade e diferença entre distintos segmentos da populaçãobrasileira. Duas questões merecem atenção especial: a interface das identidades etnorraciais e nacionais no país e atitudes relativas à política de ações afirmativas, a opção mais tradicional para se contemplar identidades particulares na distribuição de recursossociais. Nossas análises não encontraram conflitos significativos na forma como brasileiros conciliam suas identidades raciais e nacionais. Com relação às políticas de ação afirmativa, não encontramos diferenças significativas nas opiniões daqueles que se identificam como negros ou brancos, mas encontramos diferenças entre os distintos grupos socioeconômicos

Bureaucratic elite, political culture and democratization in Brazil

Brazil; democracy; political culture; bureaucracy; bureaucratic authoritarianism

First attempt towards the development of transtibial prosthesis

This work addresses the field of the artificial devices that replace a missing body limb, particularly the prosthesis used upon a transtibial (TT) amputation, also known as ankle-foot prosthesis. A major challenge in designing an ankle-foot prosthesis lies in synthesizing a mechanism that will functionally mimic the missing part of an anatomical leg and, therefore, restoring the normal gait of the amputee. This way, it will be discussed and presented the requirements for a TT prosthesis, the steps that lead to the primary sketches of the prosthetic model and its main mechanism. This work constitutes a preliminary research in the field of the bionic TT prosthesis.This work is supported by the FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - with the scholarship reference SFRH / BD/102659/2014, the reference project UID/EEA/04436/2013, by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 - Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) - with the reference project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006941. Moreover, it is supported by LIACC - Laboratório de Inteligência Artificial e Ciência de Computadores, reference project PEst/UID/CEC/00027/2015.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Headspace solid-phase microextraction procedure for gas-chromatography analysis of toluene in urine

Toluene is widely used in industrial and laboratory applications and in many countries is related with social problems of abuse. Unaltered urinary toluene was introduced as a bioindicator of occupational exposure to the solvent, but its analysis presents difficulties due to the low levels of the compound excreted in urine. A gas-chromatography/flame ionization method for toluene in urine is described using headspace solid-phase microextraction and establishing the better conditions for two different extracting phases: polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and carboxen-PDMS. The carboxen-PDMS fiber showed lower quantifying limit (12.5 ng mL-1), better extraction efficiency (up to 28.1%) and repeatability (CV < 4.9%) than PDMS coating. The method was applied to analysis of toluene in urine of workers from car repair shops exposed to low solvent levels