Programa de acolhida de cientistas ucranianas no Paraná: formação de agenda de política e implementação à luz da teoria dos múltiplos fluxos

Abstract

This thesis explored the applicability of Kingdon’s (2014) multiple streams theory in analyzing the agenda-setting and practices implemented in the Welcoming Program for Ukrainian Scientists, an initiative of the Araucaria Foundation in Paraná, Brazil. This interdisciplinary study investigated the emergence of the policy agenda leading to the creation of the program, as well as the strategies and practices adopted during its implementation. A qualitative and exploratory methodology was chosen, focusing on the inductive analysis of the Welcoming Program as a singular case study. Data collection methods encompassed semi-structured interviews, participant observation, document analysis, conjectural analysis, and process tracing. The research incorporated contextualized analysis of the dynamics and actions of various actors involved, aiming to identify the three streams proposed by Kingdon: the problem stream, the policy stream and politics stream. Evidence highlighted the significant influence of political entrepreneurs in shaping the agenda and the role of Ukrainian descendants in Paraná as catalysts in mobilizing this agenda, owing to the social and political capital of a historically established immigrant community in the state. Regarding implementation, the presence of political entrepreneurs, embodied by university faculty not necessarily connected to the Ukrainian community, was evident. Their individual initiatives proved crucial in executing activities to welcome Ukrainian researchers. In certain contexts, this situation revealed a lack of institutional support from universities and sometimes inadequate preparation for hosting these foreign researchers. The research indicated a tendency to overlook the workload associated with the settlement process of migrants in Brazil, characterized by slow bureaucratic processes and language barriers. The study also observed that, while the Welcoming Program for Ukrainian Scientists provided immediate benefits to internationalization, reconsidering tie-breaker criteria to favor the inclusion of Ukrainian researchers in programs ranked 3 and 4 by CAPES is essential. In these programs, the impact of their presence can potentially be more substantial. Furthermore, the expansion of the Welcoming Program’s scope to encompass a broader range of displaced academics is proposed. Emphasis is placed on the importance of providing a platform for sharing experiences and advocating for the needs of displaced populations. The research underscored the necessity of future studies evaluating the Welcoming Program’s impact from more specific perspectives, including direct beneficiaries, graduate programs, students, and the external community within the participating universities. A sociological and participatory approach is proposed to explore the cultural integration of Ukrainian researchers and the interrelation between Ukrainian migration, the Paraná hosting program and its international impact. The paper concludes by highlighting the urgency of developing policies that promote the representativeness of migrant populations in Brazil and enable them to build social and political capital to mobilize resources in support of their causes.