Philanthropy and think tanks in education policy: approaches, differences and relationships in Brazil.

• In Event: Privatizing education policy: exploring the role, networks and strategies of philanthropic actors to advance educational reform glocally (Part 1)

Proposal

The growth of private actors in education policy is a worldwide phenomenon. This dynamic is characterized by a heterarchical governance logic, rather than a sole government-centralized management, in which private actors participate in political decision-making through networks that now assemble the state structure. Many are part of global networks that mobilise to achieve common goals and to enforce the global dissemination of neoliberal policies. These networks comprehend different actors, including philanthropy, corporations, economic elites, and think tanks. Brazil is part of this trend, with a myriad of private actors connected to transnational actors and fostering close ties with and within the state and its structures to influence the Brazilian education system. The wide reach of networks and range of actors, with diverse forms of political action and engagement with education policy, and the blurry and opaque characteristics of these networks, render it challenging to discern private actors' specificities. While philanthropies and think tanks have been working in similar and sometimes connected ways, the literature commonly overshadows unique characteristics of neoliberal networks actors, especially philanthropy institutions and think tanks, addressing these different private actors as a unique group.
This paper aims to address this gap and analyse the work of philanthropy and think tanks in Brazilian education governance and policy making. It focuses on two highly connected and influential organisations, Lemann Foundation and Livres. The first is one of the most influential philanthropies in the country, having effectively participated in key national reforms, such as the implementation of a standardised curriculum. The latter disseminates policy solutions and liberal ideas to enhance freedom in Brazil and it is part of the Atlas Network, a global assemblage of pro-market think tanks. The paper aims to address the following questions: how are they connected, similar and/or different? What are the political strategies, forms of operation and engagement in governance and policy-making that they adopt? How do they relate to each other? As the methodological approach we will conduct a network ethnography to comprehend their connections within the neoliberal networks.
The analysis explores how the organisations operate with similar advocacy strategies, enacting forms of "knowledge mobilisation" and have been able to mobilise caucuses in the National Congress. Furthermore, both have a wide and scattered operation, engaging with the national level, as well as subnational governments. However, despite similarities and shared goals, these organizations have different institutional structures, history, and connections. While Lemann Foundation is an education-focused organisation, that has wider impacts in other areas, including economic agendas, Livres has the opposite logic, as a think tank that has moved into education topics. Thus, Lemann Foundation engages with secretaries of education to shift policy planning and service delivery, and in contrast, Livres focuses on training affiliates, for them to advance with the liberal agenda. The organisations engage with the state in different forms, interacting with the legislative and/or the executive powers, and navigating (and benefiting from) the federative structure in particular ways.

Authors

• Lucas Felicetti, Federal University of Minas Gerais

• Marina Avelar, Federal University of Minas Gerais and NORRAG