The territory as a component of public action: the experience of CEU Ana Maria in Santo André
Studies in the field of publics point to a possible recentralization of power in the union. This
has motivated investigations into the process of municipal autonomy, specifically within the
ABC Paulista region, based on five public policy arenas: Health, Education, Environment,
Social Welfare and Culture. In this context, looking specifically at Culture, this work carried
out a case study on the CEU Ana Maria, an equipment originating from a federal institutional
arrangement which is managed by the Municipal Secretariat of Culture of Santo André. Our
intention was to go into the field, developing a qualitative-interpretative research, interviewing
in depth the actors relevant to the daily life of the space, in order to investigate what has been
happening in Jardim Ana Maria since the installation of this equipment. This study helps us to
observe how the public power exercises its autonomy from a federal institutional arrangement,
and whether the specificities of this arena are manifested in the relationship established between
State and Society. However, beyond the exercise of municipal autonomy from local strategies,
this work highlights some limits of the analysis of public policies, pointing to the approach of
public action as a possible path. In addition, this study highlights the importance of the territory
in the development of public actions, showing itself as a relevant social element in this process.