The Politics of Incremental Progressivism: Governments, Governances and Urban Policy Changes in São Paulo

Large metropolises of the Global South are usually portrayed as ungovernable site of clientelism and patronage, or as cradles of civic action and social participation. They are neither. Or maybe they are both, but also many other things simultaneously. The book The Politics of Incremental Progressivism: Governments, Governances and Urban Policy Changes in São Paulo challenges these views by suggesting a more nuanced and grounded interpretation. By comparing the trajectories of 31 redistributive urban programs in eight policy sectors studied in detail with process tracing analysis, the book shows the recent occurrence of a slow and contentious, but clear incremental process of progressive policy change. The comparison between programs and sectors shows the existence of two types of policy trajectories - of gradual incorporation in the agenda and of oscillation. The triggers to these trajectories involve a mixture of partisan politics, median voter behavior and elements of the policy process, such as its multilayer governance, and mainly the multiple connections between state institutions and civil society organizations within policy sectors. The book constructs conceptual bridges between political science and urban studies to explain progressive policy change, mobilizing processes and mechanisms associated with both urban politics and policies. The analysis contributes to the understanding of how cities are governed, what kind of policies their governments construct and deliver and, more importantly, under what conditions they produce policy changes that can reduce their striking social and urban inequalities.