Cartography of Border Culture: The Intervention of the Civil Society in the Promotion of Cultural Policy. Case Study of the Municipalities of Jaguarão and Arroio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

This article shows the results obtained after the implementation of the research project: “Cartography of Border Culture: Jaguarão and Arroio Grande”, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.  The objective of the research was the identification and mapping —through an etnomapping— of the groups and organizations of civil society located and acting in the south border region of Brazil with Uruguay, who develop their work in the field of cultural promotion.  The applied methodology for the execution of the project was qualitative, carried out in three stages.  The first one consisted in the gathering and compilation of data.  The second stage focused on the field research, visiting mapped groups and associations.  Finally, the third and last stage was the analysis of data and information obtained during the research process. As a result, the etnomapping, showed that there is a great participation of the identified groups and organizations in the promotion of cultural public policy, therefore complementing the actions of the national government. Furthermore, it is apparent that public authorities have a strong tendency to foster the “externalization” of public policy to the so-named “third sector.”