The Limits of Pragmatism: The Rise and Fall of the Brazilian Workers’ Party (2002–2016)

Under favorable external circumstances, the pragmatic political and economic strategy of Brazil’s Partido dos Trabalhadores (Workers’ Party—PT) helped to secure short-term political stability, boosted growth, and supported an unprecedented distribution of income. However, it also meant that the PT had to accommodate to rather than transform the constraints on growth in Brazil and that stability would involve unwieldy political alliances preventing deeper reforms. When it was confronted with deteriorating global economic conditions and increasingly ineffectual economic policies, the PT’s strategy immobilized the party, facilitated the dissolution of its base of support, and expedited its ouster from power. The Brazilian experience suggests that political pragmatism can, within limits, support progressive economic change but that the outcomes depend heavily on external circumstances and the stability of the political coalitions supporting the administration. Em circunstâncias externas favoráveis, a pragmática estratégia política e econômica do Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) ajudou a assegurar a estabilidade política no curto prazo, impulsionou o crescimento e apoiou uma distribuição de renda sem precedentes. No entanto, isso também significou que o PT teve que se acomodar a, em vez de transformar, as restrições ao crescimento no Brasil, e que a estabilidade envolveria alianças políticas comprometedoras, impedindo reformas mais profundas. Quando foi confrontada com a deterioração das condições econômicas globais e apresentando políticas econômicas cada vez mais ineficazes, a estratégia do PT imobilizou o partido, facilitou a dissolução de sua base de apoio e acelerou sua saída do poder. A experiência brasileira sugere que o pragmatismo político pode, dentro de certos limites, apoiar a mudança econômica progressista, mas que os resultados dependem muito das circunstâncias externas e da estabilidade das coalizões políticas que apóiam a administração. Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, Brazil), grant (BEX 0840/14-9

Public crises, public futures

This article begins to map out a novel approach to analyzing contemporary contexts of public crisis, relationships between them and possibilities that these scenes hold out for politics. The article illustrates and analyses a small selection of examples of these kinds of contemporary scenes and calls for greater attention to be given to the conditions and consequences of different forms and practices of public and political mediation. In offering a three-fold typology to delineate differences between ‘abject’, ‘audience’ and ‘agentic’ publics the article begins to draw out how political and public futures may be seen as being bound up with how the potentialities, capacities and qualities that publics are imagined to have and resourced to perform. Public action and future publics are therefore analysed here in relation to different versions of contemporary crisis and the political concerns and publics these crises work to articulate, foreground and imaginatively and practically support

Clinical characteristics of women diagnosed with carcinoma who tested positive for cervical and anal high-risk human papillomavirus DNA and E6 RNA

High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) is an essential cause of cervical carcinoma and is also strongly related to anal cancer development. The hrHPV E6 oncoprotein plays a major role in carcinogenesis. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of hrHPV DNA and E6 oncoprotein in the anuses of women with cervical carcinoma. We analyzed 117 women with cervical cancer and 103 controls for hrHPV and the E6 oncogene. Positive test results for a cervical carcinoma included 66.7 % with hrHPV-16 and 7.7 % with hrHPV-18. One case tested positive for both HPV variants (0.9 %). The samples from the anal canal were positive for HPV-16 in 59.8 % of the cases. Simultaneous presence of HPV in the cervix and anal canal was found in 53.8 % of the cases. Regarding expression of E6 RNA, positivity for HPV-16 in the anal canal was found in 21.2 % of the cases, positivity for HPV-16 in the cervix was found in 75.0 %, and positivity for HPV-18 in the cervix was found in 1.9 %. E6 expression in both the cervix and anal canal was found in 19.2 % of the cases. In the controls, 1 % tested positive for HPV-16 and 0 % for HPV-18. Anal samples from the controls showed a hrHPV frequency of 4.9 % (only HPV16). The presence of hrHPV in the anal canal of women with cervical cancer was detected at a high frequency. We also detected E6 RNA expression in the anal canal of women with cervical cancer, suggesting that these women are at risk for anal hrHPV infection.We acknowledge the Research Support Fund of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP), process number 2010/16795–4), for the financial support grants. FAPESP had no other type of influence on this manuscript beyond the financial suppor

Performance Evaluation of a Direct Absorption Collector for Solar Thermal Energy Conversion

The solar absorption efficiency of water as a base-fluid can be significantly improved by suspending nanoparticles of various materials in it. This experimental work presents the photo thermal performance of water-based nano-fluids of graphene oxide (GO), zinc oxide (ZnO), copper oxide (CuO), and their hybrids under natural solar flux for the first time. Nanofluid samples were prepared by the two-step method and the photothermal performance of these nanofluid samples was conducted under natural solar flux in a particle concentration range from 0.0004 wt % to 0.0012 wt %. The photothermal efficiency of water-based 0.0012 wt % GO nanofluid was 46.6% greater than that of the other nanofluids used. This increased photothermal performance of GO nanofluid was associated with its good stability, high absorptivity, and high thermal conductivity. Thus, pure graphene oxide (GO) based nanofluid is a potential candidate for direct absorption solar collection to be used in different solar thermal energy conversion applications

Towards a synthesized critique of neoliberal biodiversity conservation

During the last three decades, the arena of biodiversity conservation has largely aligned itself with the globally dominant political ideology of neoliberalism and associated governmentalities. Schemes such as payments for ecological services are promoted to reach the multiple ‘wins’ so desired: improved biodiversity conservation, economic development, (international) cooperation and poverty alleviation, amongst others. While critical scholarship with respect to understanding the linkages between neoliberalism, capitalism and the environment has a long tradition, a synthesized critique of neoliberal conservation - the ideology (and related practices) that the salvation of nature requires capitalist expansion - remains lacking. This paper aims to provide such a critique. We commence with the assertion that there has been a conflation between ‘economics’ and neoliberal ideology in conservation thinking and implementation. As a result, we argue, it becomes easier to distinguish the main problems that neoliberal win-win models pose for biodiversity conservation. These are framed around three points: the stimulation of contradictions; appropriation and misrepresentation and the disciplining of dissent. Inspired by Bruno Latour’s recent ‘compositionist manifesto’, the conclusion outlines some ideas for moving beyond critique

The Dark Sides of Social Policy: From Neoliberalism to Resurgent Right-wing Populism

This Forum Debate explores the confluence of neoliberal, populist, conservative and reactionary influences on contemporary ideologies and practices of social policy, with a focus on the poorer peripheries of global

O que influencia o desejo de ter um filho nos jovens adultos

Enquadramento: O Índice Sintético de Fecundidade (ISF) português é dos mais baixos da Europa. No entanto, o desejo de cada individuo jovem ter um filho, sem qualquer restrição é superior ao valor de referência para a substituição de gerações. Objectivos: Compreender a relação entre as variáveis sociodemográficas, as variáveis de contexto sexual e reprodutivo e as variáveis psicológicas com o desejo de ter um filho. Métodos: Estudo quantitativo, descritivo-correlacional. A amostra é não probabilistica por conveniência com uma média de idade de 20,79 anos (dp=2,785). O protocolo de investigação foi um questionário que caracteriza o perfil sociodemográfico, sexual e reprodutivo da amostra. Foi incluído o “QVPM” (Matos& Costa, 2001), “QVA” (Matos& Costa, 2001), “Questionário de desejo de ter um filho” (Leal, 1999) e escala de Auto estima de (Rosenberg, 1965, adaptado 1999). Resultados: É no sexo feminino e no grupo etário ≤ 19 anos que o desejo de ter um filho é maior. O desejo de ter um filho diminui com a idade. Ter namorado(a), pertencer a uma família alargada, não ter irmãos e ser proveniente de uma zona rural estão relacionados com maior desejo de ter um filho, no entanto sem diferenças estatísticas significativas. Os estudantes do primeiro ano apresentam maior desejo de ter um filho no futuro e este diminui conforme a progressão no ensino (ano de curso) e aproximação do mercado de trabalho. Os que apresentam maior desejo de ser pais com base em sentimentos relativos à parentalidade frequentam menos a consulta de planeamento familiar. Observaram-se diferenças estatísticas significativas entre o número de filhos desejado no futuro e o desejo de ter um filho. O nível de conhecimento sobre fertilidade não influencia o desejo de ter um filho. Quanto maior a ansiedade de separação da mãe (vinculação à mãe), a dependência da vinculação amorosa, a ansiedade de separação do pai (vinculação ao pai) e a auto estima, maior é o desejo de ter um filho. Conclusões: O desejo de ter um filho é um construto ao longo da vida, pelo que os enfermeiros acompanhando o ciclo vital do individuo contribuem para a promoção e capacitação da parentalidade nomeadamente através da: avaliação e promoção do vinculo parental e promoção da saúde sexual e reprodutiva. Palavras chave: Jovem adulto, parentalidade, vinculação amorosa, auto estima.Abstract: Framework: The Portuguese Synthetic Fertility Index (ISF) is among the lowest in Europe. However, the desire of each young individual to have a child without any restriction is higher than the reference value for the replacement of generations. Objective: Understand the relationship between sociodemographic variables, sexual and reproductive health variables, and psychological variables with the desire to have a child. Methods: Quantitative, descriptive-correlational study. A non-probabilistic for convenience sampling with an average age of 20.79 years (sd = 2.785). The research protocol was a questionnaire that characterizes the sociodemographic, sexual and reproductive profile of the sample and includes the “QVPM” (Matos& Costa, 2001), “QVA” (Matos& Costa, 2001), “Questionário de desejo de ter um filho” (Leal, 1999) and Rosenberg Self – esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1965, adap.1999). Results: It is in the female sex and in the age group ≤ 19 years that the desire to have a child is higher. The desire to have a child decreases with age. Having a boyfriend, belonging to an extended family, not having siblings and being from the countryside are related to higher desire to have a child, however without significant statistical differences. In the first year students the desire to have a child is higher and this decreases with the progression in school’s year and the approaching of labor market. Those who are more likely to be parents based on feelings about parenting are less likely to attend family planning visits. Significant statistical differences were observed between the number of children desired in the future and the desire to have a child. The level of knowledge about fertility does not influence the desire to have a child. The greater the separation anxiety of the mother (attachment to the mother), the dependence of the love bond, the separation anxiety of the father (attachment to the father) and the self esteem, the greater is the desire to have a child. Conclusions: The desire to have a child is a lifelong construct, so the nurses by accompanying the individual's life cycle contribute to the promotion and training of parenting, namely through: evaluation and promotion of parental attachment and promotion of sexual and reproductive health. Descriptors: Young adult, parenting, attachment, self esteem