The Role of Narrative in Constructing an Advocacy Coalition: The Case of Sao Paulo's Non-discrimination Policy

Abstract

The Brazilian LGBT movement has transformed in role from a social movement fragmented by diverse interests to a policy actor with a clear agenda. To understand this transition, we study the case of non-discrimination policy 10.948 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. We combine insights from scholars working in the tradition of narrative policy analysis (NPA) with the empirical lens of the advocacy coalition framework (ACF). We hypothesize that coalition interaction in policymaking facilitates the construction of narratives that shape, and are shaped by, core beliefs and policy core beliefs. We find that, consistent with ACF, non-discrimination policy results in the development of a distinct advocacy coalition held together by a shared belief system. Importantly, and unforeseen to ACF, this belief system is discursively produced as a shared narrative by the advocacy coalition. The narrative is characterized by a deep core belief commitment to equality and several policy core beliefs. Our findings suggest that narrative plays an important and overlooked role in strengthening the glue of advocacy coalitions.