Leonardo Avritzer, holds a Ph.D. in Political Sociology from the New School for Social Research, and he is a professor of political science at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). He was a visiting professor at the University of São Paulo (2004), Tulane University (2008) and the University of Coimbra (2009). Was director of the National Association of Graduate Studies and Research in Social Sciences (1997-1998) and coordinator of the CAPES committee (2005-2010). He is currently chairing the Brazilian Association of Political Science (2012-2014). He is the author of the following books: Democracy and the public space in Latin America (2002), A moralidade da democracia (1996) - best book of the year award (ANPOCS). Coordinates the project Instituições participativas e interfaces sócio-estatais: análise comparada da inter-relação entre Estado e sociedade nos programas do governo federal, which seeks to develop, based on the case of Brazil, theoretical and analytical instrumental about the relationship between state and society within the planning and development of public policy from the transformations by which this relationship has been facing in recent years.