Continuity Is Not Lack of Change

Abstract

Dilma Rousseff became the first female President of Brazil at the beginning of 2011. How is Brazil faring under President Dilma? How will Dilma’s government cope as it attempts to preserve and extend the accomplishments of the prior government of President Lula? While continuity of personnel and policies between Lula and Dilma is the watchword of the new government, continuity is not synonymous with lack of change. This introduction to a series of articles in Critical Sociology analyses some of the changes taking place. It first looks at conflicting interpretations of the legacy of President Lula. Then it summarizes the other articles on Brazil in the issue, which focus on macroeconomic policy, trade, defence, human rights, public security, environmental policy, media regulation and culture. In these policy areas, there has been a continuation of the mildly progressive reformist legacy of the Lula years, but also the emergence of new problems.