The dependence on defense resources imports and the construction of the South American strategic identity

• Grant number: 15/07197-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2015
• End date: May 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science - International Politics
• Principal Investigator: Héctor Luis Saint-Pierre
• Grantee: Diego Lopes da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia e Ciências (FFC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Marília. Marília , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 16/09593-2 - Arms import dependence in South America: a structural assessment, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

In this research we aim to highlight the relationship between dependence on defense resources imports and the proposal of the South American Defense Council (SADC) to build a sub-regional strategic identity. To this end, we start from the basic premise that the dependence on imported resources for defense makes the receiver vulnerable to the will of its majority supplier. This predicament influences the political alignment of the dependent, which shall guide its own decisions by the patron interests. In qualifying the degree of dependence, we identify four variables: 1) level of self-sufficiency in the production of armaments; 2) diversification of suppliers; 3) perception of threat; and 4) defense budget. The main inquiry of our work is divided into two subsequente questions: 1) what is the level of national strategic autonomy; and 2) to what extent this level influences the project of a South American strategic identity. Our hypothesis argues that the permittivity to the influence of various external actors in the preferences of the countries of the subregion - caused by dependent condition already mentioned - is a serious impediment to the success of identity convergence within the SADC. The historical period of our analysis is delimited between 2004 and 2013 and the countries considered for the study are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Venezuela.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

SILVA, Diego Lopes da. Arms, capital and dependence: a study on South America's militarization. 2018. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Filosofia e Ciências. Marília Marília.