Acknowledgements

Acknowledgments

The research conducted in Brazil and Argentina was supported by the CNPq, CONICET, and a variety of national and international sponsors. Their assistance allowed our continuous participation in the debate whose results are partially reflected in this work. We are grateful to all the colleagues and students who assisted us in the process of investigation leading o this publication. Special thanks go to Ana Maria Costa and Hosana Celi Oliveira; the Department of Sociology of Federal University of Pernambuco and the University of Comahue and, particularly, to Alessandro Bonanno for his assistance and collaboration in the revision of earlier versions of this chapter.