Diffusion of Good Government

“In Diffusion of Good Government: Social Sector Reforms in Brazil, Natasha Borges Sugiyama contributes significantly both to theoretical debates about diffusion and to important policy debates about the best ways to alleviate poverty, improve educational attainment, and increase access to health services in middle-income developing countries. Her substantial field research is coupled with strong quantitative analysis to deliver original interpretations important to scholars with an interest in public policy and Latin America.” —James W. McGuire, Wesleyan University

"This study investigates the motivations of politicians and technocrats behind the adoption of social policy reforms in Brazil. Natasha Borges Sugiyama argues that political self-interest in winning elections is not the motivating force. Rather, she claims that ideology in the form of commitments to providing better services and income transfers for the poor is a strong incentive, along with embeddedness in professional organizations or informal networks. Sugiyama's work is both compelling and important. It will be of interest to political scientists, sociologists, anthropologists, and scholars with an interest in public policy in Latin America." —Evelyne Huber, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

“Sugiyama offers careful case studies of Bolsa Escola (educational grants) and Saúde da Família (family health promotion). . . . She confirms the pattern of interaction among the variables with quantitative analysis as well as detailed qualitative reporting. The study includes a rich review of policy diffusion theory.” —Choice

“Diffusion of Good Government fills an important gap in the literature and should be of great interest to Brazilian specialists and to development practitioners. . . . To the author’s great merit, she successfully challenges the assumptions about patronage, clientelism, and the politics that shape reform efforts in Brazil, and even more broadly, in the developing world.” —The Americas

“Natasha Borges Sugiyama addresses a vitally important question for those seeking a better understanding of anti-poverty and social welfare policy in Brazil. What forces drive the spread of progressive, equity-enhancing social sector reforms in that country? . . . In her fluently written, informative and persuasive tome, Sugiyama concludes with a hopeful message: that the coming together of ideological beliefs and the reinforcement of professional norms augurs well for the future of social policy-making in Brazil.” —Journal of Latin American Studies