Comunicação pública e assistência social: um estudo sobre os processos comunicativos nos Centros de Referência de Assistência Social/Cras

This thesis is about the public communication in the “Unified system of social assistance/USSA » with the goal to analyze the characteristics, practices, actions, plans and strategies of communications developed by the Center of References of Social Assistances/ CRSA in the services provides to the citizens, with references to the principal characteristics and classic functions in the concept of public communication. The research was based on the dialectical method, using techniques such as direct observation and structured interviews, done with the professionals and the public of the CRSA, in five municipalities of different sizes, in five regions of the country. The study showed that under the dominance of neoliberalism, public discourse reflected in the action of the State influences the policies of social assistance policy and public communication, as concerns the social question, resulting a negative impact on the rights of users, on democracy and on citizenship. The thesis also shows that if Government communication and public communication are complementary, this can legitimize policies, but that happens rarely in the sphere of Government. However, there is a common denominator of types and forms that characterize public communication in social assistance, due to precariousness of the objective and subjective conditions that determine the subordinate status of users, technicians and managers.