Esta tese visa analisar a constituição, o funcionamento e os limites da Avaliação por Pares (AP) no âmbito do Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). A pesquisa operou por dois caminhos distintos: um diacrônico e outro sincrônico. No primeiro, elaborou-se uma reconstrução histórica da AP praticada no CNPq entre 1951 e 2015 contextualizada pelas mudanças institucionais a que passou o órgão durante o citado período. O segundo caminho centrou-se na análise de dois estudos de caso que redundaram na elaboração de perfis dos Bolsistas de Produtividade em Pesquisa de Filosofia e Educação com bolsas vigentes no ano de 2016. Do um ponto de vista teórico, os resultados alcançados foram interpretados segundo as noções de Campo Científico de Pierre Bourdieu e Reconhecimento de Axel Honneth. Quanto à história da AP no CNPq constatou-se uma ligação entre o crescimento na quantidade de bolsas implementadas pelo órgão e uma maior formalização legal e institucional da AP, especialmente a partir da década de 1970. O próprio crescimento da comunidade científica brasileira possibilitou uma transição de procedimentos pessoais e informais de AP para um rígido, formal e impessoal circuito de imposições legais quanto a AP praticada no órgão. Quanto aos dois estudos de caso constatou-se que apesar de todas as restrições formais que atualmente regulam a AP no Conselho, especificidades históricas, geográficas, econômicas e relativas a gênero acabam por influir nos resultados dos processos de AP. Com base na pesquisa realizada, verificou-se a necessidade em se instituir uma maior transparência nos processos de AP no órgão de modo a se coadunar um aperfeiçoamento da própria prática da AP assim como um controle social da destinação dos recursos públicos mais democrático e acessível a sociedade civil. / This theses analyzes the institution, the mechanisms and the limits of peer review (PR) in Brazil’s National Council for Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq). Research was conducted at both diachronic and synchronic levels. At the diachronic level, I accomplished a historical reconstruction of PR practices in CNPq from 1975 to 2015, linking this reconstruction to the institutional changes undergone by the Council during this period. At the synchronic level, I focused on two case studies, which allowed me to outline the profile of researchers in Philosophy and Education with productivity grants (in 2016). Research findings were interpreted with the help of Pierre Bourdieu’s notion of Scientific Field and Axel Honneth’s idea of Recognition. As for the history of PR in CNPq, research results established a correlation between the increase in grants funded and the legal and institutional formalization of PR, particularly since the 1970s. The growth of the Brazilian scientific community entailed a shift from informal and personal PR procedures to the rigid, formal and impersonal mediating rules now in place. As for the two case studies, I found that despite all formal restrictions now governing the Council’s PR practices, historical, geographical, economical and gender based specificities still have an influence on the outcome of PR processes. Research results indicate the need for a greater transparency regarding the Council’s PR processes in order to improve practices and expand social control over allocation of public resources.

The South African local sphere of government has been mandated to provide a developmental and accountable local government and to ensure provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner. As a key developmental agent, local government is obliged by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 to develop a culture of municipal governance that encourage and create conditions for the local community to participate in the affairs of the municipality. In this regard, ward committees have been introduced to municipalities as community structures to play a critical role in linking and informing the municipalities about the needs, aspirations and problems of their communities. In adherence to national legislation, such as the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act 117 (Act117 of 1998) and the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 2000 (Act 32 of 2000) Nkonkobe Local Municipality established advisory structures in the form of ward committees throughout its area of jurisdiction to advise the municipal council on any matter within the council’s competence. As a representative structure of the community the ward committee is expected to serve as a link between the council and the community and for this purpose articulates community needs and aspirations to better the living standards of the community. Despite the stated objectives of ward committees, the Middledrift area has been identified by Nkonkobe Local Municipality IDP: 2007-2012 as the poorest area in Nkonkobe municipality with backlogs in infrastructure and service delivery. This study evaluates the extent at which the Middledrift ward committee (Ward 16) is enhancing service delivery in its area of jurisdiction.

Esta tese visa analisar a constituição, o funcionamento e os limites da Avaliação por Pares (AP) no âmbito do Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). A pesquisa operou por dois caminhos distintos: um diacrônico e outro sincrônico. No primeiro, elaborou-se uma reconstrução histórica da AP praticada no CNPq entre 1951 e 2015 contextualizada pelas mudanças institucionais a que passou o órgão durante o citado período. O segundo caminho centrou-se na análise de dois estudos de caso que redundaram na elaboração de perfis dos Bolsistas de Produtividade em Pesquisa de Filosofia e Educação com bolsas vigentes no ano de 2016. Do um ponto de vista teórico, os resultados alcançados foram interpretados segundo as noções de Campo Científico de Pierre Bourdieu e Reconhecimento de Axel Honneth. Quanto à história da AP no CNPq constatou-se uma ligação entre o crescimento na quantidade de bolsas implementadas pelo órgão e uma maior formalização legal e institucional da AP, especialmente a partir da década de 1970. O próprio crescimento da comunidade científica brasileira possibilitou uma transição de procedimentos pessoais e informais de AP para um rígido, formal e impessoal circuito de imposições legais quanto a AP praticada no órgão. Quanto aos dois estudos de caso constatou-se que apesar de todas as restrições formais que atualmente regulam a AP no Conselho, especificidades históricas, geográficas, econômicas e relativas a gênero acabam por influir nos resultados dos processos de AP. Com base na pesquisa realizada, verificou-se a necessidade em se instituir uma maior transparência nos processos de AP no órgão de modo a se coadunar um aperfeiçoamento da própria prática da AP assim como um controle social da destinação dos recursos públicos mais democrático e acessível a sociedade civil. / This theses analyzes the institution, the mechanisms and the limits of peer review (PR) in Brazil’s National Council for Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq). Research was conducted at both diachronic and synchronic levels. At the diachronic level, I accomplished a historical reconstruction of PR practices in CNPq from 1975 to 2015, linking this reconstruction to the institutional changes undergone by the Council during this period. At the synchronic level, I focused on two case studies, which allowed me to outline the profile of researchers in Philosophy and Education with productivity grants (in 2016). Research findings were interpreted with the help of Pierre Bourdieu’s notion of Scientific Field and Axel Honneth’s idea of Recognition. As for the history of PR in CNPq, research results established a correlation between the increase in grants funded and the legal and institutional formalization of PR, particularly since the 1970s. The growth of the Brazilian scientific community entailed a shift from informal and personal PR procedures to the rigid, formal and impersonal mediating rules now in place. As for the two case studies, I found that despite all formal restrictions now governing the Council’s PR practices, historical, geographical, economical and gender based specificities still have an influence on the outcome of PR processes. Research results indicate the need for a greater transparency regarding the Council’s PR processes in order to improve practices and expand social control over allocation of public resources.

No description available.

Thesis (D.P.H.)--University of Michigan.

Dissertation (D.P.H.)--University of Michigan.

The study investigates community participation in the decision-making processes in Mnquma Local Municipality. The issue of community participation in decision making is receiving attention in South Africa, from both government and civil society sectors. Governments in many parts of the world have begun to take a fresh look at the need for public participation in decision-making processes. The main problem to be addressed in this study is the extent to which the community can be involved in decision making processes in Mnquma Local Municipality. To address the research problem and to achieve the aims of this study, an in depth review of the literature on decision making was done. The empirical search was done by distributing self-administered questionnaires to the participants in Mnquma Local Municipality. The research findings revealed that in Mnquma Local Municipality community participation in decision-making is not effective. Consequently, the delivery of services in this municipality is poor. Another factor that inhibits community participation in the decision making processes in the municipality is that most of the municipal documents are written in English a language in which the majority of the members of the community are not competent in because they are Xhosa speaking people. Recommendations for improved satisfaction in service delivery, communication, consultation, regular meetings, and language were made with regard to community participation in decision making. If these recommendations are implemented, they will assist Mnquma Local Municipality in the area of decision making.

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies / See the attached abstract below

This study focuses on community participation in the implementation of the integrated development plan in Inanda Township in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal. The empirical part of the study was conducted on the Inanada, Ntuzuma, and KwaMashu area of the eThekwini Municipality. Ward committees are forums for community participation in municipalities. They enhance participatory democracy at the local sphere of government. The main function of ward committee members include advising the ward councilors on policy matters that affect their respective wards, identifying the needs and challenges that face the wards, and communicating information to communities residing in those wards. This study acknowledges the fact that, in terms of the policy framework, ward councillors are the chairpersons of their respective ward committees. They are there to assist the community to express its views and participate in the processes of policy-making. Ward committee members need to liaise with the community, bring issues to the ward committee meetings and take the concerns of the community to the relevant unit of the municipality. The role of ward committees is to facilitate service delivery in their communities. It also found that the efficacy of ward committees during the implementation phase of the IDP could be improved. Hence it recommends that the eThekwini Municipality must encourage local community members, ward committees and councillors to play their role during the implementation of the IDP.

PhDRDV / Institute for Rural Development / The need for sustaining the provision of high quality education in all countries cannot be overemphasised. Linked to this is the centrality of ensuring that effective governance prevails. In an effort to address the latter challenge in South Africa, School Governing Bodies (SGBs) were introduced through the South African Schools Act (SASA) 84 of 1996. A SGB is composed of democratically elected members, viz. Principal who serves in an ex officio capacity, teacher representatives, learner representatives in secondary schools, and parent representatives. The parent representatives are the majority in this body. The current case study was carried out to analyse the effectiveness of SGBs in rural secondary schools with respect to their designated roles and responsibilities. The mixed methods approach in two sequentially integrated phases was applied in the study undertaken in Vhembe District‟s Thulamela Municipality in Limpopo Province of South Africa. There were nine secondary schools located in rural areas from four circuits. In each circuit two schools were sampled, a performing and an underperforming. Principals, teacher governors and non-governors, learner governors and non-governors, teacher union representatives, a traditional leader, circuit managers, manager for governance, deputy managers for governance and parent governors participated in the study. Interviews were held with Principals, and the following governors; teachers, learners and parents, individually, and focus group interviews were held with the following non-governors: teachers and learners who were purposively sampled to take part in this study in Malamulele cluster of Vhembe Education District. A questionnaire was generated from the results of the qualitative data and completed by Principals, parent governors, teachers and learners. To analyse and organise qualitative data, Thematic Content Analysis was used and for quantitative data, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 was used. The results revealed that the governors related well with traditional leaders; parent governors‟ illiteracy impacted negatively on their performance; Principals and teachers were not supportive to parent governors; funding received from government was insufficient; and learner governors were passive during meetings with other governors. There were no statistically significant effects of schools and interest group or category of respondents on the views expressed. However, statistically significant effects (P < 0.05) were observed with regard to the following challenges: “some Principals are not conversant with Department of Basic Education (DBE) policies and may mislead SGBs in making informed decisions”; „„the writing of quarterly reports v by SGBs that would assess their progress in relation to their plans,‟‟ and “some teacher governors are bench warmers and are not interested in SGB activities”. It was recommend that Traditional leaders be represented in the SGB; parent governors be encouraged to further their studies to improve their literacy; training should address the needs of schools instead of using a one-size-fits-all type of training; and the funding model used by government be relooked into so that rural secondary schools and their communities could benefit more. The cordial relationship existing between traditional leaders and SGBs was crucial for improved disciplining of learners and nurturing strong bonds between schools and neighbouring communities. This work provides ingredients for formulating strategies for improving the performance of rural-based secondary SGBs and enhancing their contribution to local development.