Abstract (Translated):
Public policy studies in Brazil strongly rely on sociological, historical or rational choice neo-institutionalisms. A forth 'newest new institutionalism' argues that ideas and discourse matter, meaning they play a paramount role in politics. The concept of narratives may provide insights into the daily routine of public institutions that remain unperceived by 'older new-institutionalisms'. It also helps to develop one's sensibility to what people say into a more conspicuous representation of what that really means. Numbers, norms, and official or unofficial discourses only make sense as parts of broader, although unsettled narratives.