Dupla hermenêutica no campo da gestão social: evidências empíricas no âmbito do colegiado do território da cidadania Sertão de Minas

Abstract

The phenomenon of double hermeneutics, which basically highlights the mutual interpretive interplay between social sciences and activities that constitute its “object” of study, is a central element in the discussions of the English sociologist Anthony Giddens. From this premise, this paper asks whether, in the field of Social Management, this phenomenon is occurring. In an attempt to answer this question, it was established as the main objective to investigate, through a case study, which meaning lay actors (specifically, members of the collegiate “Território da Cidadania Sertão de Minas”) gives to the concept “social management”. Interviews with members of the collegiate indicated that, at least in this context of interaction, field´s own concepts - such as participation and the common good - are already being appropriated by lay actors. The study also suggests that for lay actors, similar to what occurs among some researchers of this field, the perception of the concept of social management is segmented between means (a specific mode of management) and purposes (meeting social needs).