What is Social Management?

Understanding a participatory approach to public life

By Yllá Regenera

A Different Way to Manage Society

Social Management (Gestão Social) is not just a method — it's a paradigm shift. It challenges the traditional top-down logic of public administration by placing deliberation, participation, and co-responsibility at the center of collective life.

This concept emerged in Brazil, notably in the early 2000s, from academic and community experiences that refused to separate knowledge from practice, or technical solutions from popular voices.

The First School: Deliberative Management as Ethical Commitment

The first school of Social Management was shaped by researchers at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and partners in civil society. Authors like Enrique Saravia, Paulo Henrique Martins, Cândido Grzybowski, and Tania Fischer were central to this vision.

Ethical Commitment

They argue that true social management is only possible when:

• Decisions are built collectively
• There is transparency and ethics in the process
• Management is public, non-state, and guided by values, not only rules
• In this view, Social Management is not just a technique. It is a political and ethical posture that prioritizes dialogue and respect for difference.

Evolving with the Times

Over the past two decades, the field has expanded. New themes have emerged:

1. 🌍 Climate justice and environmental governance
2. 🤝 Collaborative networks and solidarity economy
3. 🌐 Digital participation, platforms and online deliberation
4. ✊ Intersectionality, feminist and decolonial approaches

Social Management today is more than a model, it is a living practice, adapting to the challenges of the Anthropocene and offering tools for community-driven resilience and regeneration.

• Regenerative territorial governance
• Participatory cultural activation
• Building networks of trust, creativity and care

We believe that knowledge must walk hand-in-hand with the people, and that every territory has the right to decide its own future.

📖 References

Fischer, Tânia. Gestão social: práticas e desafios contemporâneos. Rio de Janeiro: FGV, 2002.

Saravia, Enrique. Gestão pública e sociedade. Belo Horizonte: UFMG, 2000.

Grzybowski, Cândido. Esfera pública e gestão democrática. Rio de Janeiro: Ibase, 2003.

Martins, Paulo Henrique. Para uma crítica da gestão social: utopias, sociabilidades e o comum. Recife: EdUFPE, 2011.

Tenório, Fernando Guilherme. Gestão social: uma perspectiva emancipatória da administração pública. RAE, 2005.

Dagnino, Evelina. Sociedade civil e espaços públicos no Brasil. São Paulo: Paz e Terra, 2004.