Research Project for Visiting Scholar - Hegemonic Maintenance and Ideological State Apparatuses: US Foreign Policy towards Latin America

• Grant number: 25/03684-5
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - Brazil
• Start date: September 10, 2025
• End date: August 09, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science - International Politics
• Principal Investigator: Sebastiao Carlos Velasco e Cruz
• Grantee: Sebastiao Carlos Velasco e Cruz
• Visiting researcher: Camila Feix Vidal
• Visiting researcher institution: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC). Centro Sócioeconômico (CSE), Brazil
• Host Institution: Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas (IFCH). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Since 2009, the National Institute of Science and Technology for Studies on the United States (INCT-INEU) has been training and bringing together researchers from 17 Brazilian universities to conduct research and disseminate knowledge about the United States. Today, it is a well-established institute in Brazil in the area of research, whether in the training of researchers; in the dissemination of knowledge; and the organization of research networks with researchers abroad - such as the University of Havana (Cuba), University of London (England) and University of Denver (United States). The proposal presented here, therefore, seeks to continue and contribute to this dense research network under the supervision of Professor Sebastiao Velasco e Cruz, coordinator for most of the time of INCT-INEU and who has a long and recognized research trajectory on the subject. The visiting researcher has an important research and teaching career. She was recently received as a visiting researcher at the Center for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University (2024), conducted field research at the United States National Archives in 2023 (Fulbright funding) and in 2024 (INEU funding), has published a number of articles in top-ranked journals, as well as chapters in books published by UNESP; and coordinates wide-ranging extension projects from the Institute of Latin American Studies. Regarding the research project proposed here, we seek to analyze strategies of domination based on the empirical study of three US institutions organized for this purpose: the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States Information Agency (USIA) and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). As ideological state apparatuses, they were created in the 1950s during the Cold War as part of the broad foreign policy strategy of the United States to contain the Soviet Union. The choice of these institutions is not by chance; all three are linked to the State Department of that country and play an important role in the search for the co-optation of 'hearts and minds' abroad, specifically in Latin America. USAID, in particular, has been one of the agencies criticized by the new Donald Trump administration, even having an executive order to close it. The issue is now facing the country's Congress, which is debating, due to the bipartisan and legislative creation of the agency itself, the constitutional validity of such an act. Meanwhile, ECA is actively involved in Brazil, where it has been coordinating the Fulbright Amazon project since 2022.The research proposed here, in this context, is even more relevant. In this sense, we seek to analyze the actors involved, the institutional and budgetary structure and the projects implemented in Latin American countries during their terms. To this end, a database will be created about the institutions and projects implemented in Latin America based on primary documents from these organizations and interviews with leaders and former employees of the same. This research is expected to contribute to the gap that exists in Brazilian academia regarding these three important government institutions. This proposal includes collaboration in ongoing research projects at the host institution; activities in student education through courses, mini-courses, lectures, and extension activities; and academic support through participation in undergraduate and graduate committees. As concrete results of the visit, it is expected that scientific articles will be published, a book will be written, and ties will be expanded with UNICAMP professors and researchers to strengthen and diversify academic production and academic events that will contribute to research and student training inside and outside the institution. (AU)