The Palgrave Handbook on Geopolitics of Brazil and the South Atlantic

Positioned at the intersection of regional leadership and global influence, this reference work offers a rigorous and timely analysis of Brazil s evolving geopolitical role as the world s fifth largest nation, South America s leading power, a strategic South Atlantic actor, and a pivotal member of the expanding BRICS+ coalition. Structured into four insightful parts (1) The Making of Brazil as an International Actor, (2) Geo-Economics and Technology, (3) Classic Perspectives on Geopolitics, and (4) Contemporary Debates: Critical and Meta Geopolitics - this book brings together a rich array of topics that reflect Brazil s multifaceted global engagement. Beyond traditional themes like Brazilian politics, economy, and foreign policy, this volume delves into pressing contemporary issues: energy geopolitics, defence, regional engagement, Amazon geopolitics, polar and outer space affairs, nuclear autonomy, marine spatial planning, naval projects, food security, lithium, Artificial Intelligence, and submarine cables. The book also explores Brazil s strategic relationships with China, the United States, and the European Union, while offering fresh perspectives on its ties with African nations (e.g., Angola, Mozambique, Cabo Verde, Nigeria, South Africa), Russia, and India. Broader global themes such as ZOPACAS, CPLP, BRICS+ cooperation, and UN Security Council reform are also critically assessed.

Autorentext

Francisco B. S. José Leandro earned his Doctorate in Political Science and International Relations from the Catholic University of Portugal in 2010. He currently serves as Associate Professor with Habilitation in International Relations at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau, and holds the position of Deputy Director at the Institute for Global and Public Affairs. Dr. Leandro is affiliated with CEI-ISCTE-IUL and OBSERVARE an academic center for the study of International Relations founded in 1996 at the Autonomous University of Lisbon, Portugal where he contributes to research on foreign relations and global governance.

Rodrigo Franklin Frogeri holds a Doctorate in Information Systems and Knowledge Management, a Master s degree in Administration, and a Bachelor s degree in Computer Science. He is currently a tenured Professor in the Graduate Program in Management and Regional Development at the University Center of Southern Minas (UNIS-MG, Varginha, Brazil), and also serves as a faculty member in the Master s in Data Science program at Universidad Científica del Sur (Lima, Peru). Since early 2024, Dr. Frogeri has held the position of Editor-in-Chief of Mythos (ISSN: 1984-0098), a peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to interdisciplinary research.

Yichao Li earned her Ph.D. from the Institute for Research on Portuguese-speaking Countries at the City University of Macau (China) in 2021, following a Master s degree in Comparative Civil Law (Chinese) from the University of Macau in 2018. From 2021 to 2022, she was a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for International Studies, ISCTE-IUL, in Lisbon, Portugal. Since 2023, Dr. Li has served as an Assistant Research Fellow at the Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University, China. She is also a member of OBSERVARE, a research center on International Relations at the Autonomous University of Lisbon, established in 1996.

Francisco Proença Garcia is Full Professor and Associate Dean at the Institute for Political Studies, Portuguese Catholic University. His distinguished career includes serving as Portugal s national representative to NATO s Science and Technology Organization (2014 2016), Head of Postgraduate Studies at the Military Academy (2014), and Advisor to the Chief of the Army Staff (2011 2014). He was also Military Advisor to the Portuguese Delegation to NATO and the European Defence Agency (2008 2011), and President of the Scientific Council at the Higher Institute of Business Communication (2013). Professor Garcia is an Academic of the International Academy of Portuguese Culture, International Correspondent of the Institute of Geography and Military History of Brazil, and Director of the Lisbon Geographical Society.

Antonio Ruy de Almeida Silva is a Retired Admiral of the Brazilian Navy and holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. He currently serves as a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Advanced Strategic Studies at Fluminense Federal University (NEA/UFF), and as a Professor in the Postgraduate Program in International Security and Defense at the Brazilian War College. Additionally, he acts as an Advisor at the Centre for Political-Strategic Studies of the Brazilian Navy. Admiral Silva is a former Director of the Brazilian Navy War College and has published extensively on international security, defense diplomacy, and South Atlantic affairs.

Inhalt

Acknowledgments (Editors-TBC) .- Foreword (TBC).- Introduction (Editors).- List of Contributors.- Part 1 The Making of Brazil as an International Actor.- Chapter 1-An Early Geopolitical Project for Building Up a Great Nation in South America: The Organic Memorial of Historian Francisco Varnhagen in Middle 19th Century Brazil.- Chapter 2-Political history of Brazil: From the Military Dictatorship (1964-1985) to BRICS Membership.- Chapter 4-International Relations in Latin America: The State of the Art.- Chapter 5-Brazil's Regional Disengagement: South America in Recent Brazilian Foreign Policy (2011-2023).- Chapter 6-Brazilian Naval Projects, South Atlantic, and the World: The Shift to the Blue Waters beyond the Strategic Environment.- Chapter 7-Stagnation of an Emerging Power: One Decade of Brazilian Foreign Policy (2013-2023).- Chapter 8-Good Governance in Brazilian Public Administration: Level of Adherence of Brazilian Public Sector to Western Liberal Democratic Good Governance Principles.- Chapter 9-Energy Geopolitics in Brazil after January 2023: Challenges and Opportunities.- Chapter 10-Geopolitics and Marine Spatial Planning in Brazil.- Part 2 Geo-Economics and Technology.- Chapter 11-Navigating Uncharted Waters: Brazil's Strategic Responses to Environmental, Economic and Geopolitical Shifts in the South Atlantic.- Chapter 12-Brazil at the Crossroads of the International Monetary and Financial System: An Analysis of the Response to the Renminbi Internationalization Process.- Chapter 13-Economic Development in Latin American Countries: An Analysis Based on Investment, Complexity, and Exports.- Chapter 14-A Tripod Approach to Assess the Viability of Espadarte Harbor: Ability of Brazilian Businesses, Brazilian Market Share in the Global Market, and Brazilian Geoeconomic Power.- Chapter 15-Brazil-China Strategic Partnership and the Belt and Road Initiative.- Chapter 16-US-China Competition on the South Atlantic and Implications for Brazil.- Chapter 17-The South Atlantic in China s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road: Geopolitical and Technological Implications for Brazil.- Chapter 18-The Angola-Mozambique Corridor in the Oceanpolitic of the Global South.- Chapter 19-Seeking a Place in the South Atlantic: An Analysis of Brazilian and Chinese Capabilities and Intentions in the Region in the XXIst Century.- Chapter 20-Blue Economy & Maritime Security in the South Atlantic: Brazil s Geopolitics and Strategic Positioning in Times of Power Rebalancing.- Chapter 21-Escaping the Commodity Export Trap: Brazil´s Search for a New Industrialization.- Chapter 22-The Geo-economy of the Lithium Triangle: Chile, Bolivia and Argentina.- Chapter 23-Will Brazil be Able to Help Modernizing Some African Countries?.- Part 3 Classic Perspectives on Geopolitics.- Chapter 24-The Geopolitics of the Strategic Brazilian Surrounds: Land and Maritime Spatial Continuities.- Chapter 25-UNSC Reform and Brazil's Foreign Policy.- Chapter 26-Between a Zone of Peace and Emerging Risks: Argentina s Perspective on the South Atlanti…