Abstract
Professional associations are often seen as wholly self-interested actors, and/or as an integral, indistinguishable part of the privileged elite. As a result, the international third sector literature has tended to focus on the activities of social movements and NGOs. This article uses field research and the rich Brazilian third sector literature to assess these assumptions. The first part shows that numerous policy-relevant groups have long existed in Brazil, beyond the NGO/social movement ambit. The article then demonstrates the autonomy and policy relevance of professional associations. The final section shifts to the local level, using the activities of these groups in the state of Santa Catarina to show that the Brazilian third sector is best seen not in opposition to the state, but as part of dense policy networks including the state, business, and other nonprofit groups.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
