Mercosurization of Argentinean immigrant policy. the role of public opinion in foreign policy

• Grant number: 17/18441-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: October 25, 2017
• End date: December 23, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science - International Politics
• Principal Investigator: Janina Onuki
• Grantee: Romeu Bonk Mesquita
• Supervisor: Mario Federico Merke
• Host Institution: Instituto de Relações Internacionais (IRI). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidad de San Andrés, Victoria (UDESA), Argentina
• Associated to the scholarship: 16/18012-3 - Mercosurization of Argentinean immigrant policy: the role of public opinion in foreign policy, BP.MS

Abstract

This research project presents a working plan for the FAPESP/BEPE scholarship to take place at Universidad San Andrés, Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina, from October 2017 to January 2018. Its main go is to allow in loco research based on the FAPESP Masters process 2016/18012-3. Argentinean immigrant policy has gone through meaningful changes between late 1990's and early 2000's. Although there's a handful of academic works analyzing legal differences between old and new norms, very few research focus more substantially on the political processes implied in this transformation. The goal of my investigation is to highlight immigrant policy as a foreign policy and, as such, to analyze the main mechanisms of its formulation. In order to do so, one must consider distinct systemic and domestic trends that constraint policymakers, both Executive and Legislative, in setting foreign policy agenda and the country's strategy of international insertion. Moreover, one must take into account often contradictory demands coming from organized civil society, mass media and public opinion. Thus, the scholarship in Buenos Aires is intended to offer the opportunity of being in direct touch with resources, material and personnel involved with or specialized in this issue. Research methodology includes gathering further bibliographic and documental sources, conducing semi-structured interviews, and analyzing public opinion survey data. (AU)