Abstract

VILLEGAS PLA, María Belén. Thinkers and Poverty. The Role of Expertise in Policies to Combat Poverty in Uruguay. Rev. mex. cienc. polít. soc [online]. 2015, vol.60, n.224, pp.71-102. ISSN 0185-1918.

This article analyzes the dynamics through which specialized knowledge is involved in the design and implementation of public policy. It aims contributing to the debate about the processes by which "common sense" is built in the political space, and the role of research in this process. These issues are raised analyzing two of the fundamental plans launched by the government of the Frente Amplio in Uruguay: the Social Emergency Plan and the Equity Plan. Two sets of questions are put forth regarding the relationship between social research and public policy design. The first one deals with those knowledge promoting institutions involved in the process to develop the national plans under exam. Which is their extent and type of participation? What makes these institutions take part of the policy making process? The second group of questions delves around issues such as: is the influence of research similar for both cases? Do both processes arouse the same advantages and disadvantages regarding those elements that promote the intersection between policy makers and social research?

Keywords : Social Emergency Plan; Equity Plan; Uruguay; poverty; specialized knowledge; social research; design of public policies.