Municipal governments consider the provision of water supply as an essential service for public health and safety, economic growth, and community well-being. As the demand for water increases with population growth, municipal water sources are approaching their limits and water source expansion is often constrained by the physical and seasonal availability of fresh water, environmental protection policies and other factors. As systems strive to balance supply and demand, it is important to know what choices U. S. cities are making in developing new sources of supply and, in particular, how U.S. environmental policies are influencing the range of water supply alternatives. This research inquiry was constructed based on four hypotheses: 1) development of large surface water impoundments is no longer a preferred choice of a new source, 2) water utilities increasingly are relying on non-conventional sources for augmenting their supplies. 3) environmental statutes act as constraints in developing water sources, and 4) water needs and planning choices vary by geographic region and water system size. Evidence to explore these hypotheses was collected from detailed case studies of the history of source development of ten municipal water systems and an email survey of 189 drinking water systems throughout the U.S. The historical record of these systems was used to identify a pattern of three distinct periods of water source development: i) groundwater regime, ii) surface water regime, and iii) non-conventional regime. Source development before the Great Depression (1930s) was identified as the groundwater regime. The surface water regime began with the addition of large number of reservoirs that were added as part of the public works programs instituted after the Great Depression. Surface water source development slowed after the 1970s due to the enactment of environmental statutes and the non-conventional regime began. The nationwide water utility survey showed that about 88 percent of respondents reduced their per capita water use since the institution of national plumbing standards in the 1990s. The research also found that development of large surface water impoundments is no longer a preferred choice for cities or municipalities and that "non-conventional" water sources, such as water reclamation and desalination and reclamation began to be employed as alternative sources in 1980s. Environmental statutes such as, National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act (CWA), Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), Rivers and Harbors Act (RHA), and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WRSA) have been criticized as constraints to the development of new water sources. However, this research shows that water utilities in general perceive that these statutes are not a constraint. Only 24 percent of respondents perceived them as a constraint and some respondents actually perceived these statutes as an enabler to sustainable water source development. In general, the ESA, CWA 404 permit and NPDES permits were reported to be barriers to water source development, while the SDWA was most reported as an enabler. The research also found that water supply needs and planning choices vary by geographic region. Water systems in the West were more likely to be in need of water source expansion than systems in the East. When considering supply expansions, eastern cities are more likely to pursue conventional sources whereas western cities more likely to pursue a combination of conventional and non-conventional. The water utility survey and case studies showed that while U.S. water systems have employed water demand management techniques to make dramatic reductions in their per capita water use, they nonetheless continue to pursue new water supply sources to meet anticipated future water demands. In spite of this trend toward capacity expansion, virtually all the ten case study water systems currently have surplus water with their current supply exceeding their water demand.

This article presents the results of an investigation concerning political harassment and violence towards female mayors in Mexico. It also aims to paint a picture of the social and political background of these phenomena in the context of authoritarian, clientelistic and male chauvinistic politics, which is told through the testimonies of female mayors collected from 1996 until 2009. Violence against mayors of both genders in Mexico starts with the so called war on drugs –a policy adopted in 2006 by the Federal government- which generates denouncements and proposals from political parties and municipalist associations, as well as manifestations of worry of deputies and senators. The climate of generalized violence in the country reached a critical state in January of 2016 with the assassination of the mayor of Temixco –in the state ofMorelos-Gisela Mota Ocampo, the first female mayor to be assasssinated by an armed comando.The present article synthesizes the results of an hemerographic tracing while presenting some of the most representative cases of political harassment and violence against female mayors in Mexico from 2010 until January of 2016, when said assassination took place. / El artículo presenta resultados de una investigación en torno al acoso y la violencia política hacia las presidentas municipales en México. A través de testimonios y experiencias de las presidentas municipales, recabados entre 1996 y 2009, dibuja los antecedentes de los fenómenos mencionados, en el contexto de una cultura política autoritaria, clientelar y machista. Así, se presenta un panorama de la violencia política dirigida a los alcaldes y otros funcionariosmunicipales, que se desata a partir de la llamada guerra contra el narcotráfico (política adoptada por el Estado mexicano en 2006). Esta situación generó denuncias y propuestas de los partidos políticos y las asociaciones municipalistas, así como algunas manifestaciones de preocupación de algunos diputados y senadores. La violencia generalizada alcanza dimensiones críticas, incluyendo la dirigida hacia las mujeres en diversos espacios sociales. En enero de 2016, se llegó a un punto de quiebre con el asesinato de Gisela Mota Ocampo, alcaldesa de Temixco, Morelos, primera presidenta municipal en funciones asesinada por un comando armado. El artículo sintetiza los resultados de un seguimiento hemerográfico, presentando algunos de los casos más representativos de acoso y violencia política hacia las presidentas municipales en nuestro país de 2010 a 2016, finalizando con el caso de Gisela Mota Ocampo.

The aim of the thesis was to describe the impacts of economic crisis on municipalities of the Microregion Horní Vltava Boubínsko.

Social media is described in previous research as a tool for government to create more efficient processes, more open management, and participation and influence in the democratic process. The purpose of the paper is to study how municipalities interact with citizens on their official Facebook pages. The essay is a quantitative study where all municipalities with an official Facebook page have been investigated. The study describes the purpose for which municipalities use the official Facebook page and explains whether there is a connection between the municipality's activity on Facebook and contextual factors in the municipality such as size, capacity, political context and modernity. By collecting data during a month from all municipalities that have an official Facebook page, a total of 260 and by text analysis, encode these into three different types, push-strategy, pull-strategy and combination-strategy, five hypotheses should be answered regarding the municipality's activity. The material is analyzed by two different quantitative methods; univariat analysis and multivariate regression analysis. The result shows that the vast majority of municipalities use Facebook primarily for one-way communication (push-strategy) and that the variables chosen to test the theories regarding size, capacity, political context and modernity did not show linear relationships.

Submitted by Roberta Oliveira da Fonseca (oliveirafonsecaro@gmail.com) on 2018-04-12T16:51:59Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Oliveira Fonseca, Roberta_Dissertação.pdf: 4626181 bytes, checksum: 59897a2d7026d21a3fc15aa2706560ec (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by ALESSANDRA KUBA OSHIRO ASSUNÇÃO (alessandra@fct.unesp.br) on 2018-04-12T20:46:48Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 fonseca_ro_me_prud.pdf: 4626181 bytes, checksum: 59897a2d7026d21a3fc15aa2706560ec (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-12T20:46:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 fonseca_ro_me_prud.pdf: 4626181 bytes, checksum: 59897a2d7026d21a3fc15aa2706560ec (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-09 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / As bases para a produção, distribuição e comercialização de álcool no Brasil foi expandida por meio do Programa Nacional do Álcool (PROÁLCOOL) criado em 1975. O lançamento de carros com tecnologia flexfuel, no ano de 2003, impulsionou a utilização de etanol em todo território nacional. Nesse cenário, direcionaram-se investimentos consideráveis para o setor sucroenergético, destacando-se o Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES) como um dos principais apoiadores e financiadores da expansão do setor no período recente. Diante disso, a presente pesquisa tem como principal objetivo estudar o ingresso do conglomerado Odebrecht no setor sucroenergético mediante a fundação do Grupo Odebrecht Agroindustrial no ano de 2007. Para compreendermos a atuação do referido grupo no setor, selecionamos duas unidades agroprocessadoras: uma no Estado de São Paulo, a Usina Conquista do Pontal, no município de Mirante do Paranapanema, e outra no Estado do |Mato Grosso do Sul, a Usina Santa Luzia, localizada no município de Nova Alvorada do Sul. Pretendemos analisar como a atividade sucroenergética interfere na dinâmica socioeconômica dos municípios nos quais as usinas estão instaladas e no seu entorno. A análise foi empreendida considerando as escalas geográficas de modo a destacar as relações de poder sobre o território local/regional e o papel do Estado brasileiro como estimulador do processo de expansão do referido setor. / The bases for the production, distribution and commercialization of alcohol in Brazil were expanded through the National Alcohol Program (PROÁLCOOL) created in 1975. The launch of cars with flexfuel technology in 2003 boosted the use of ethanol throughout the territory national. In this scenario, considerable investments were directed towards the sugar-energy sector, with the National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES) standing out as one of the main supporters and financiers of the expansion of the sector in the recent period. The main objective of this research is to study the Odebrecht conglomerate's entry into the sugar and ethanol sector through the founding of the Odebrecht Agroindustrial Group in 2007. In order to understand the performance of this group in the sector, we selected two agroprocessing units: one in the State of São Paulo, the Conquista do Pontal Plant, in the municipality of Mirante do Paranapanema, and another in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, the Santa Luzia Plant, located in the municipality of Nova Alvorada do Sul. We intend to analyze how the sugarcane activity interferes with the dynamics socioeconomic level of the municipalities in which the plants are located and in their surroundings. The analysis was undertaken considering the geographic scales in order to highlight the power relations over the local / regional territory and the role of the Brazilian State as a stimulator of the expansion process of this sector. / FAPESP: n° 2015/00247-1

Submitted by Irene Nascimento (irene.kessia@ufpe.br) on 2016-07-20T17:04:46Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação - Jardson Guedes - Versão Final.pdf: 1553465 bytes, checksum: bcaa24744d38fccd134474fdff74a412 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-20T17:04:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação - Jardson Guedes - Versão Final.pdf: 1553465 bytes, checksum: bcaa24744d38fccd134474fdff74a412 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-25 / O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar os gastos públicos e a sua influência sobre o Índice de Desempenho do Sistema Único de Saúde (IDSUS) nos municípios pernambucanos. Para o alcance de seu objetivo, o estudo utilizou-se de pesquisa descritiva, com abordagem quantitativa, realizada por meio de pesquisa documental. Quanto à sua abordagem, a pesquisa caracteriza-se, também, como de natureza quantitativa, fazendo uso de técnicas estatísticas tanto na coleta quanto no tratamento de dados. O trabalho teve como objeto de estudo os municípios pernambucanos pertencentes ao grupo homogêneo (GH) 6 do IDSUS, composto de 136 municípios, no entanto, apenas 128 compuseram a amostra, haja vista 8 deles não dispuserem de informações na base de dados pesquisada. Coletaram-se as informações relativas aos gastos sociais dos municípios pernambucanos na base de dados pública Finanças do Brasil (FINBRA), disponibilizada pela Secretaria do Tesouro Nacional (STN). Coletaram-se dados correspondentes aos gastos públicos durante os anos de 2008 e 2011. Transformaram-se as informações de gastos públicos municipais em variáveis per capita com a divisão pela população do município. Em seguida, atualizaram-se os valores per capita pelo Índice Geral de Preços – Disponibilidade Interna (IGP-DI). Para obtenção dos resultados, utilizou-se de regressão linear com dados em painel. Utilizaram-se seis construções que mesclam as variáveis presentes no estudo com base no modelo de efeitos aleatórios, no modelo de efeitos fixos e no modelo dos mínimos quadrados ordinários agrupados. O estudo teve como variável dependente o IDSUS e como variáveis explicativas o gasto com saúde per capita (GSAU), gasto com prevenção per capita (GPREV), gasto com assistência hospitalar per capita (GASSISTH), outras despesas com saúde per capita (GODS), gastos com educação per capita (GED), gastos com infraestrutura urbana per capita (GINFRA), gastos com saneamento básico per capita (GSAN) e gastos com agricultura per capita (GAGR). Após a aplicação dos modelos de regressão, optou-se pelo método de efeitos fixos, ficando identificado que apenas a variável gasto com prevenção relacionada à saúde tem impacto positivo sobre o IDSUS. / This study aimed to analyze public spending and its influence on the Performance Index of the Unified Health System (IDSUS) in Pernambuco municipalities. In order to achieve its objective, the study used a descriptive research, with a quantitative approach, conducted through documentary research. As for its approach, the research is also characterized as quantitative, using statistical techniques both in collection and processing of data. The study had as studying object Pernambuco municipalities belonging to homogeneous group (GH) 6 of IDSUS, composed of 136 municipalities, however, only 128 were included in the sample, considering 8 of them do not hold information in searched database. Information regarding social spending of Pernambuco municipalities were collected from public database Finances of Brazil (FINBRA), available from National Treasury Secretariat (STN). Data corresponding to public spending during the years 2008 and 2011 were collected. Information of municipal expenditures were transformed into variables per capita with the division by municipality’s population. Then values per capita were updated by General Price Index – Internal Availability (IGP-DI). To obtain the results, linear regression with panel data was used. It was used six constructions that mix the variables in the study based on random effects model, fixed effects model and pooled ordinary least squares model. The study had as dependent variable IDSUS and as explanatory variables spending on health per capita (GSAU) spending on prevention per capita (GPREV) spending on hospital care per capita (GASSISTH), other expenditure on health per capita (GODS), spending on education per capita (GED), spending on urban infrastructure per capita (GINFRA), spending on basic sanitation per capita (GSAN) and spending on agriculture per capita (GAGR). After applying the regression models, it was chosen the fixed effects method, getting identified that only the variable spending on prevention related to health impacts positively on the IDSUS.

Orientador: Rosana Baeninger / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Filosofia e Ciencias Humanas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-10T21:22:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Siqueira_ClaudiaGomesde_D.pdf: 2533687 bytes, checksum: ef8715d028d24b24ffad4ae605b2cb1e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar a configuração territorial do município de Campinas, privilegiando dois elementos constitutivos do processo: a dimensão político-institucional e a reorganização da população no espaço. Como referência temporal foi considerado o período entre os anos de 1850 e 2000. Para tanto, foi necessária a realização de um diálogo interdisciplinar entre a Demografia, a Ciência Política e a Economia Urbana e Regional. Numa perspectiva teórico-metodológica neo-institucionalista histórica, a partir da atuação de elementos político-institucionais selecionados e da consideração de dados censitários sobre a população, desde 1854, o estudo permitiu observar o processo de reorganização da população no espaço como um produto histórico, cujo resultado decorre da atuação da dimensão político-institucional e da dimensão demográfica em duas escalas espaciais, uma mais ampla e outra, local. Enquanto, numa escala mais ampla, atuam, por um lado, os processos gerais de redistribuição populacional e, por outro, as relações intergovernamentais e a interação Estado-sociedade, numa escala local, atuam a composição social da população das diferentes espacialidades que compõem o território municipal, configuradas a partir de processos de diferenciações político-territoriais. Com este estudo, foi possível considerar, por fim, que processos de reorganização populacional e processos político-institucionais atuam de forma articulada, tanto na produção da diversidade da configuração dos espaços, como na configuração da fragmentação do espaço metropolitano / Abstract: This study has like objective to analyze the Campinas municipality territorial configuration, privileging two process constituted elements: the political-institutional dimension and the space population reorganization. Like temporary reference was considered the period between the years of 1850 and 2000. For that, was necessary the realization of one interdisciplinary dialogue between Demography, Politic Science and the Urban Economy and Regional. At one theoric-methodologic perspective historic neo-institutionalist, by the elements politicinstitutionals actuation selected and the population census data consideration, since 1854, the study allowed to observe the population space reorganization process like a historic product, which result come from dimensional political-institutional actuation and the demographic dimensional between two spatial scales, one wider than other, local. Meanwhile, at a wider scale, actuate, at one side, the populational distributional generals processes and, by other side, the intergovernmental relationships and the Statesociety interaction, at one local scale, actuate the population social composition of different spatialities, which compound the municipal territory, configured by the political-territorial differential process. With this study, was possible to considerate, finally, which populational reorganizational processes and process politicalinstitutionals actuate at an articulate form, thus at space configuration diversity production, like at metropolitan space fragmentation configuration / Doutorado / Estudos de População / Doutor em Demografia

Orientador: Claudio Schüller Maciel / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Economia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-21T22:26:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Prates_AngeloMarcosQueiroz_D.pdf: 3419009 bytes, checksum: 1eee422483eb8a28aaf4cd3f06405bf8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: O presente trabalho analisa os chamados Consórcios Intermunicipais que passaram a se constituir a partir dos anos 90 como um importante instrumento de política pública para o desenvolvimento econômico e melhorias no sistema de saúde, saneamento, meio ambiente, entre outros. Esse cenário nasce com a crescente pressão por recursos financeiros para os entes federados, sobretudo para o ente municipal que teve que assumir a partir da Nova Constituição de 1988 uma série de compromissos que antes eram financiados fundamentalmente pelo governo central. Nesse quadro, surgem os Consórcios Intermunicipais como forma de prover localmente bens e serviços públicos. A principal vantagem que o consorciamento pode oferecer aos entes municipais reside na obtenção de escalas tanto no que tange a recursos financeiros como de material, sem a qual cada município isoladamente não teria como atingir. De um total de 5.564 municípios brasileiros, mais de 80% declararam fazer parte de alguma modalidade de Consorciamento Intermunicipal. O padrão observado de distribuição desses Consórcios obedece à lógica econômica e social, ou seja, concentração nos municípios de baixa população e baixo dinamismo econômico, mais notadamente nos municípios com população entre 5 e 20 mil habitantes. Nesse contexto, são traçados os panoramas da formação urbana e da dinâmica das finanças públicas municipais, que demonstram a necessidade do consorciamento intermunicipal. Destaca-se a importância do estabelecimento de um regime jurídico que garantiu aos Consórcios Intermunicipais maiores garantia para sua funcionalidade, capitaneadas pela Lei nº 11.107, de 6 de abril de 2005, posteriormente normatizada pelo Decreto Federal nº 6.017, de 17 de janeiro de 2007, que definiu as regras e formas de pactuação dos Consórcios Intermunicipais. Concentramos esse estudo, contudo, na avaliação dos Consórcios Intermunicipais nas áreas onde ocorrem, sobretudo, na área da saúde, onde se apresenta o maior volume de experiências em consorciamento intermunicipal. Para essa avaliação, utilizamos como base os indicadores disponibilizados pelo Ministério da Saúde, como o Índice de Desempenho do Sistema Único de Saúde, onde é possível avaliar o desempenho municipal a partir de indicadores como: cobertura de equipes básicas de saúde, exames laboratoriais, internações, procedimentos cirúrgicos, entre outros. Também traçamos um panorama internacional no que se refere a essas políticas de consorciamento, destacando o cenário europeu e em menor medida alguns países latino-americanos. Por fim, podemos considerar que o consorciamento intermunicipal se traduz em uma política pública com fortes possibilidades de melhoria para a prestação local de serviços públicos, que pese suas deficiências apontadas largamente nesse trabalho / Abstract: This paper examines the so-called Intermunicipal Consortiums that began to form from the 90's as an important public policy tool for economic development and improvements in health care, sanitation, environment, among others. This scenario arises with increasing pressure for financial resources for the federated entities, especially for the municipal entity that had to take from the New Constitution of 1988 a series of commitments that were funded primarily by the central government. In this framework the Consortia arise as a means of providing public goods and services locally. The main advantage that the consortium can offer municipal entities lies in obtaining scales both in terms of financial resources and material, without which each municipality alone would not achieve. From a total of 5,564 municipalities, over 80% reported taking part in some form of intermunicipal consortiums. The observed pattern of distribution of these consortia obeys the economic and social logic, ie, concentration in cities with low population and low economic dynamism, most notably in cities with population between 5 and 20 thousand inhabitants. In this context, the strokes are panoramas of urban formation and the dynamics of local government finances, which demonstrate the need for intermunicipal consortiums. The study highlights the importance of establishing a legal regime that assured the Public Consortia Intermunicipal greater assurance to its functionality, captained by Law No. 11,107, dated April 6, 2005, subsequently normalized by Federal Decree No. 6017, of January 17, 2007 which set the rules and forms of agreement Intermunicipal Consortia. Focus this study, however, in evaluating the Intermunicipal Consortia in areas where they occur mainly in healthcare, which presents the largest volume of experience in intermunicipal consortiums. For this evaluation, we use as a basis the indicators provided by the Ministry of Health, as the Index of Performance Health System, which can evaluate the performance hall from indicators such as coverage of primary healthcare teams, laboratory tests, hospitalizations , surgical procedures, among others. Also we will present an international outlook with regard to these policies intermunicipal consortiums, highlighting the European scene and to a lesser extent some Latin American countries. Finally we consider that the intermunicipal consortiums translate into public policy with strong possibilities of improvement for the local provision of public services, despite their deficiencies pointed out in this work widely / Doutorado / Desenvolvimento Economico, Espaço e Meio Ambiente / Doutor em Desenvolvimento Economico

Submitted by Joel de Lima Pereira Castro Junior (joelpcastro@uol.com.br) on 2016-07-23T21:31:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 VeríssimoSantos.pdf: 1335864 bytes, checksum: 3909b6f6a708baeb3cba0132516f4f67 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Biblioteca de Administração e Ciências Contábeis (bac@ndc.uff.br) on 2016-07-27T16:19:25Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 VeríssimoSantos.pdf: 1335864 bytes, checksum: 3909b6f6a708baeb3cba0132516f4f67 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T16:19:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 VeríssimoSantos.pdf: 1335864 bytes, checksum: 3909b6f6a708baeb3cba0132516f4f67 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior. / O fenômeno da corrupção abala os valores republicanos, gerando o descrédito da sociedade com relação à democracia. Por isso, é necessário fortalecer os instrumentos de controle da administração pública, principalmente aqueles que são franqueados à sociedade exercer na fiscalização do uso dos recursos públicos. Com o avanço das tecnologias de informação e comunicação, a transparência se destaca como uma importante ferramenta de ampliação do controle social, favorecendo o acesso à informação, a interatividade com os poderes públicos e o governo aberto. No Brasil, a Lei Complementar n° 131/09 veio favorecer o aumento da transparência na gestão pública, alcançando todas as esferas de poder, com a obrigatoriedade de divulgação da execução financeira e orçamentária dos entes federativos em tempo real na Internet. Neste estudo, apresenta-se um histórico das recentes iniciativas legislativas e governamentais de promoção da transparência pública através da Internet no Brasil. Tendo como referencial a Teoria da Agência, que está na base de desenhos institucionais favoráveis à accountability, este trabalho pretende verificar o nível de transparência dos portais eletrônicos oficiais dos municípios do Estado do Rio de Janeiro com mais de cem mil habitantes. O objetivo é avaliar se tais entes federativos estão cumprindo as exigências legais, vale dizer, os requisitos determinados pela chamada Lei de Transparência. O conteúdo, a série histórica e frequência de atualização e a usabilidade desses portais foram os parâmetros utilizados para a análise dos sites. A partir da obtenção do Índice de Transparência dos municípios, foi possível estabelecer um ranking dos municípios fluminenses mais transparentes. / The corruption phenomenon affects republican values, generating the discredit of society concerned to democracy. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the control instruments of public administration, mainly those ones used in the supervision of public resources. Due to the improvement of information technology and communication, transparency stands out as an important tool for expanding social control, facilitating access to information and the open interaction with government. In Brazil, Complementary Law No. 131/09 increased transparency in public administration, reaching all power spheres by requiring mandatory real-time disclosure of financial and budget execution of federative entities on the Internet. This study presents some historic of recent legislative and governmental initiatives to promote public transparency through the Internet in Brazil. Taking as reference the Agency Theory, which is the basis of institutional designs favorable to accountability, this work intends to verify the level of transparency of official municipalities homepages of the state of Rio de Janeiro with more than one hundred thousand inhabitants. The aim of the work is to assess whether such federal entities are complying with legal requirements, that is, the requirements determined by the so-called Law of Transparency. The content, the history, update frequency and usability of these portals were the parameters used for the analysis of the sites. Through the Transparency Index of the municipalities, it was possible to establish a ranking to determine what are the more transparent municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

How can citizens in a Swedish municipality become more active and involved in the political life? This is an issue that is constantly being discussed. Some argue that one way to increase the citizen’s political influence as well as participation, is by using so-called “citizen dialogues”. These “citizen dialogues” have become a common feature among Swedish municipalities. During the dialogues, citizens have the possibility to ask questions and make suggestions to politicians and officials from the municipality in, order to increase knowledge and trying to affect political decisions. I find it interesting to examine the consequences of participation in these dialogues.             The purpose of this essay is therefore to analyze the degree of political influence that citizens gain through participation in the citizen dialogue “Direktmöte” in Växjö municipality. The analytic instrument of the essay consists of two theories. These are Sherry R. Arnstein’s “A Ladder Of Citizen Participation” and The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions “Delaktighetstrappa”. Both of these theories consist of models that can be used to classify different forms of participation on a scale ranging from “non-existing” to “very high” participation. Furthermore, this essay is a qualitative case study and the material consists of documents from the municipality of Växjö.