Bolsa Família, or Familiar Bosses? Conditional Cash, Citizenship, and Clientelism in Brazil

In the last decade, “Conditional Cash Transfers” (CCTs) have spread across Latin America. CCTs involve small, monthly cash transfers to poor families on the condition
that children attend school and obtain vaccinations. Studies suggest that these transfers are relatively effective at alleviating extreme poverty. But what are their impacts beyond the material realm? This project investigates whether CCTs have been able to strengthen the citizenship of groups which have long felt excluded from Latin American democracies. Using the case of the Brazilian Bolsa Família – the continent’s largest CCT program – the project draws from fieldwork interviews with Bolsa recipients and other key actors to ascertain whether and how transfers have affected the everyday politics of the poor. Is this money from the government just a new way to buy the poor’s votes – as some have alleged – or can it enhance political agency, and pave the way for a more inclusive society?

Faculty Supervisor:

Philip Oxhorn

Student:

Partner:

Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Information and Communications Technology; Green/Alternative Energy; Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

McGill University

Program: