Movimentos sociais, ações coletivas e reprodução social: a experiência da Contag (1963-2015).

Abstract

In this work the performe of the National Confederation of Agricultural Workers (Contag) was analyzed through its collective and social reproduction actions between 1963 and 2015. The forms of relationship between Contag and the State during this period were also examined. This effort was achieved by reviewing some important landmarksof Contag s trajectory: the national meetings; activities inside its international network (Coprofam); actions using Brazilian legal apparatus; wage riots and manifestations at the state of Pernambuco; the Brazil s Cry of the Land (Grito da Terra Brasil) manifestation; and the Daisies' March (Marcha das Margaridas). The study of these cases aimed to highlight the importance of an enquiry that was mainly guided by the contribution of the actors experience itself by a diachronic analysis to understand the path followed by Contag for over its 50 years of existence. The proposed approach highlighted the importance of studying collective and social reproduction actions in an articulated manner, presenting a more complex panel of the social movements way of acting, a central topic for the theory of social movements and collective action. The work also stressed the importance of having a relational theoretical notion for the State, allowing us to better analyze and identify the different ways of acting in relation to the State. The research was mainly held by the analysis of Contag s documentation, interviews, and the multi-sited ethnography of events.