Implementing social policy in Brazil: an inter-contextual exploration of the exercise of discretion by street-level bureaucrats

Abstract

An extensive international literature has considered the tension between policy direction and implementer discretion exercised by street-level bureaucrats (SLB). While a growing body of research in Brazil regarding the implementation of social policy broadly aligns with the international discourse that emphasizes the importance of SLB discretion in policy implementation, it also supports other research that reinforces the importance of rule following by SLB. By considering qualitative evidence from every Brazilian region, the current study adds to existing Brazilian research to identify the importance of collective SLB processes in determining implementation actions within the nation’s diverse local contexts. We suggest that the combined effect of policy frameworks and implementation inter-contextual factors combine to form a complex normative framework of social policy implementation that ultimately impacts SLB discretion in implementation settings. We also suggest the potential value of introducing the lens of “reflexive governance” in social policy design and analysis.