4966 - The transformation of the bolivian system. The MAS as "hegemonic project"?

My diploma thesis is a combination

of political theory and the interpretation of political praxis. It tries to

understand the transformations during the last ten years in

Bolivia, under a perspective of a strategic-relational approach and concentrates

especially on the strategies of the political and civil actors and their possible successe in the

transformation of the materiality of the state and the hegemony. The

focus of the thesis concentrates on the

reasons for the formation of the MAS as a political party and its

success in forming a common interest. Main questions are if you could

call the MAS a hegemonic

project and how the strategic selectivity

of the state has changed. Main hypotheses are that there was no

functioning social fix

installed in the Bolivian society in the time before the political

takeover of

the MAS, and that there was a deep crisis of hegemony and state,

expressed

especially in the legitimation crisis of the traditional parties and the

failure of neoliberal hegemony. The MAS understood the request for

consensus

and participation of the population and was successful in reaching the

varying

interests of the people. As well it has successfully used the moment of

state

crisis and democratic failure, to strengthen both by giving the

population

more participation possibilities and empowering the state in economic

and

social concerns.

 

In

the course of a research stay in

Bolivia and ongoing qualitative interviews I am also going to find out

more

about the influences of the academic sector and political theory on the

transformation process with the goal of a better understanding of the

influence of civil society on the state and the prospects of

political theory to initiate social change.

Palabras claves: Bolivia, MAS, social movements, hegeomic project, state transformation

Autores: Seewald, Julia (Universität Wien, Austria / Österreich)