Brazil's Africa Strategy

Grading greatness: evaluating the status performance of the BRICS

“…A final puzzle that emerges from the status performance of the BRICS is how Brazil has consistently underperformed since it became a democracy (figure 1). These status struggles would appear somewhat curious-at least to more optimistic liberals-given that Brazil has made a concerted effort to follow and promote the liberal-democratic norms of international society, 70 undertaken costly peacekeeping missions 71 and risen through the rankings of GNI (table 1). Moreover, Brazil disclosed and gave up its nuclear weapons program in 1990, fully joined the Treaty of Tlatelolco in 1994, and finally ratified the NPT in 1998, having been a long-term critic.…”

It's always sunny in Brazil: images, stereotypes, ignorance, and the country’s international status

“…Brazil has long wanted to project itself internationally as a significant nation in global politics and has the ambition of being recognized as a Great Power (Buarque, 2013(Buarque, , 2019Stolte, 2015;Mares;Trinkunas, 2016). Although Brazil is a strong state in global affairs and clearly plays an important role in international politics, the general perceptions about Brazil among the population of the rest of the world are not of a strong, serious and responsible country (Bignami, 2002;Carvalho, 2008;Lopes, 2010;Buarque, 2019).…”

“…Although these surveys show what people in general in different parts of the world think about Brazil and not the perceptions of elites such as politicians and diplomats, these results are particularly important when considering that images and soft power are the primary basis on which Brazil has attempted to become a more prestigious country in international relations. Instead of focusing on the real capabilities of the country when pursuing global prestige, Brazil has often focused more on gaining recognition through a positive international perception of the nation as an active player in global affairs through negotiation and conciliation (Stolte, 2015;Mares;Trinkunas, 2016;Ricupero, 2017;Jumbert;Carvalho, 2020).…”

Status and Brazil’s role as a peace mediator - lessons of the foreign perceptions of the failed Tehran deal

“…The attempt to mediate conflict, peace operations, and humanitarian intervention are essential elements of Brazil's foreign policy ambition of achieving high status as an emerging power (Kenkel et al 2020). It can be understood as part of one of the main motivations of Brazilian Foreign Policy (BFP), which is to increase the level of prestige and the standing of the state in the stratified international society (Mares and Trinkunas 2016;Larson and Shevchenko 2019;Stolte 2015;Ricupero 2017;Rohter 2012;Lafer 2000;Milani et al 2017;Buarque 2013;Souza 2008;Motta and Succi Junior 2023;Uziel 2015).…”