Brazil and BRIC and IBSA coalitions: convergence of interests or conflict enhancing

• Grant number: 12/15198-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: September 10, 2012
• End date: July 09, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science - International Politics
• Principal Investigator: Adriana Schor
• Grantee: Adriana Schor
• Host Investigator: Bert Hoffmann
• Host Institution: Instituto de Relações Internacionais (IRI). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA), Germany

Abstract

Brazil has become member of various coalitions of developing countries, among them BRIC and IBSA. This research aims to identify, taking its start from the literature about coalitions, the characteristics which entail both stability and endurance of the coalition and those which, on the contrary, aggravate extant conflicts or cause new conflict situations among group members. Once these characteristics are identified, we shall try to find observable variables (chiefly related to international trade) in order to compare BRIC and IBSA coalitions with regard to the idea of convergence or conflict. (AU)