the TRANSFORMATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS OF DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

TENSIONS IN DEMOCRATIC MAGNITUDES.

Abstract

The participatory quality of social agents and the structures that influence this capacity have become a central issue for political scientists. It is essential to understand the transformations in the models of participation (Dalton) and expectation (Norris), especially in the face of the emptying of conventional institutions (Dahl). A theoretical and descriptive reflection is needed to understand the new forms of voluntary participation, mediated by tools such as the Internet, and how these transformations dialog with citizens' expectations. This analytical and descriptive work seeks to understand the theoretical construction of political participation and its development in the new unconventional means of participation. The study examines how expectations influence democratic credibility and the limits of political participation as an essential factor for civic development. In the Brazilian context, the case is useful for assessing citizens' perceptions of political participation and their expectations of the democratic system, using data from the ESEB (Brazilian Electoral Study) from the 2018 and 2022 elections. This data assesses trust in institutions, democratic efficiency and the importance of voting, aspects that reflect the debate on models of political participation and the engagement of individuals in the democratic system.