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Winning a Battle but Losing the War? Third Sector and Social Policy in Latin America: The Case of Uruguay

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Abstract

This paper analyzes some aspects of the third sector’s involvement process in the provision of public social services. Using evidence garnered in previous research based on in-depth interviews, I offer elements toward an assessment of the consequences this process has produced not only in terms of the gains and losses it has produced for social policy, but also for the very identity and constitutive characteristics of the third sector. The evidence hereby compiled strengthens skepticism toward the hypothesis that sees a transformative potential in the role of the third sector in social policy in Latin America. This skepticism arises from issues detected by involved actors themselves and that are linked to the weakness of the sector as a whole.

Résumé

Cet article analyse certains aspects du processus de participation du secteur tiers pour la fourniture de services sociaux publics. À l’aide d’informations recueillies dans des recherches antérieures basées sur des entretiens approfondis, je propose des éléments en vue d’évaluer les conséquences que ce processus a produit, non seulement concernant les gains et les pertes pour la politique sociale, mais aussi pour l’identité même et les caractéristiques constitutives du tiers secteur. Les informations réunies ici renforcent le scepticisme envers l’hypothèse qui voit un potentiel de transformation du rôle du tiers secteur dans les politiques sociales en Amérique latine. Ce scepticisme découle des problèmes détectés par les acteurs eux-mêmes et qui sont liés à la faiblesse du secteur dans son ensemble.

Zusammenfassung

Dieser Beitrag analysiert einige Aspekte im Mitwirkungsprozess des Dritten Sektors bei der Bereitstellung öffentlicher Sozialdienstleistungen. Unter Verwendung von Anhaltspunkten aus früheren Studien, welche auf umfassenden Befragungen beruhen, biete ich Elemente für eine Bewertung der Konsequenzen dieses Prozesses an, und zwar nicht nur im Hinblick auf Gewinne und Verluste für die Sozialpolitik, sondern ebenso für die Identität und die konstitutiven Merkmale des Dritten Sektors. Die hier zusammengetragenen Belege verstärken die Skepsis gegenüber der Hypothese, die ein Transformationspotenzial in der Rolle des Dritten Sektors in der Sozialpolitik Lateinamerikas erkennt. Diese Skepsis rührt von Problemen, die die involvierten Akteure selbst erkannt haben und die mit der Schwäche des gesamten Sektors zusammenhängen.

Resumen

El presente documento analiza algunos aspectos del proceso de implicación del sector terciario en la provisión de servicios sociales públicos. Utilizando evidencias proporcionadas en investigaciones previas basadas en entrevistas en profundidad, ofrezco elementos para una evaluación de las consecuencias que este proceso ha producido no sólo en términos de las ganancias y pérdidas que ha producido para la política social, sinotambién para la propia identidad y características constitutivas del sector terciario. Las evidencias aquí compiladas fortalecen el escepticismo ante la hipótesis que ve un potencial transformador en el papel del sector terciario en la política social en Latinoamérica. Este escepticismo surge de problemas detectados por los propios actores implicados y que están vinculados a la debilidad del sector como un todo.

Chinese

本文分析了第三部门提供公共社会服务的一些参与流程方面。使用之前研究进行的深入采访所获得的证据,我提供了这一流程所产生的后果评估元素,不仅基于为社会政策带来的好处和导致的损失,而且基于第三部门的身份和基本特性. 编制的证据增强了这一怀疑论,即第三部门在拉丁美洲社会政策所扮演角色的假设。这一怀疑论来自相关部门本身发现的问题,同时可能与整个部门的弱点相关.

Arabic

يحلل هذا البحث بعض جوانب عملية مشاركة القطاع الثالث في توفير الخدمات الإجتماعية العامة. بإستخدام الأدلة التي تم تجميعها في الأبحاث السابقة على أساس المقابلات المتعمقة، أنا أقترح عناصر نحو تقييم لعواقب قد تنتج من هذا الإجراء ليس فقط من حيث المكاسب والخسائر التي تنتج عن السياسة الإجتماعية، لكن أيضا˝ التقارب إلى حد بعيد و الخصائص التأسيسية للقطاع الثالث. الأدلة التي جمعت بموجب هذا تعززالشكوك تجاه الفرضية التي ترى إمكانية التحول في دور القطاع الثالث في السياسة الإجتماعية في أمريكا اللاتينية. ينشأ هذا الشك من قضايا تم الكشف عنها عن طريق الجهات المعنية نفسها والتي ترتبط بضعف القطاع ككل.

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  1. Departamento de Ciencias Sociales y Políticas, Universidad Católica del Uruguay, 8 de octubre 2738, 4to piso. Oficina 422, Código postal: 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Cecilia Rossel

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Rossel, C. Winning a Battle but Losing the War? Third Sector and Social Policy in Latin America: The Case of Uruguay. Voluntas 27, 146–165 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-015-9569-z

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