Latin American Perceptions of Regional Identity and Leadership in Comparative Perspective

Abstract

Public opinion plays a growing role in foreign policy formation in democratic societies. In this study, we use survey data from The Americas and the World project to establish whether Latin Americans share a common regional identity, and regard Brazil as a regional leader. Our results indicate that the majority of Brazilians do not identify themselves as Latin Americans. Moreover, while they believe their country is the most suitable candidate for regional leadership, they are unwilling to bear the costs of assuming such a role. Our study also explores perceptions of regional identity and Brazilian leadership in other Latin American countries, based on their own respective power aspirations. It shows that less powerful Latin American nations recognise Brazil as a regional leader, but citizens in middle powers, like Argentina and Mexico, still believe their countries should play a prominent regional role.

Social representations of Latin American history and (post)colonial relations in Brazil, Chile and Mexico

“…This might be related to the socioeconomic status of the country in the superordinate group (Latin America). Brazil is marked by a historical, political and cultural distance from its neighbouring countries as a result of not having shared the same colonizer as other Latin American countries, and having experienced a different independence process compared to Chile and Mexico (Onuki, Mouron, & Urdinez, 2016). In addition, there is a difference in terms of the official language of the countries (Portuguese in Brazil and Spanish in Chile and Mexico), as well as a dissimilar population composition and history of development, in which Brazil preferred to turn its face to Europe and its back to Latin America (Onuki et al, 2016).…”

Entre o passado e o presente

“…No que diz respeito à totalidade de elementos evocados (eventos e personalidades), observamos mais similaridades entre as amostras chilena e mexicana e certo sociocentrismo o país apresenta/apresentou do restante da região, que possui relações com o fato de não partilhar do mesmo colonizador que a maioria dos países latino-americanos e de ter vivido um processo independentista diferente, além da existência de diferenças com relação ao idioma e à composição populacional (Onuki, Mouron, & Urdinez, 2016); ou, ainda, a uma forma de reivindicação identitária e de justificação do status do seu grupo, projetando elementos mais relativos à identidade endogrupal do Brasil no grupo supraordenado (América Latina) (Wenzel, Mummendey, & Waldzus, 2007).…”

Brazilian International Development Cooperation and Public Opinion: Domestic Costs Faced by a Troubled Emerging Donor

“…Onuki, Mouron and Urdinez (2016) found that the Argentinian public are sensitive to framing effects, especially concerning Brazilian leadership.…”