Brazil's inter-American diplomacy: events and agents (1948-1959)

• Grant number: 24/02478-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: July 14, 2024
• End date: October 13, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science - International Politics
• Principal Investigator: Felipe Pereira Loureiro
• Grantee: Renato Ferreira Ribeiro
• Supervisor: Rafael Rossotto Ioris
• Host Institution: Instituto de Relações Internacionais (IRI). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Denver (DU), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/15611-4 - Non-nationalist developmentalists and Brazil's inter-American diplomacy (1948-1959), BP.PD

Abstract

From the 1930s to the 1980s, Brazilian foreign policy was markedly aligned with the developmentalist agenda pursued by the Brazilian state. This developmentalist orientation significantly influenced Brazil's approach to inter-American diplomacy from 1948 to 1959, leading to a notable departure from (pan)Americanism towards closer relations with Latin American nations. This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms behind this strategic transition in Brazil's inter-American diplomacy, focusing on the period from 1948, marked by the initiation of the Abbink Mission, to 1958-1959, characterized by the formulation of Operation Pan-America. The central hypothesis posits that non-nationalist developmentalists, exemplified by figures such as Roberto Campos, Lucas Lopes, and Glycon de Paiva, in collaboration with a specific cadre of diplomats, played a pivotal role in translating the developmentalist ideology into actionable diplomatic strategies within the inter-American arena during this epoch. The research objectives are threefold: to scrutinize the evolution of Brazilian stances in key inter-American forums primarily addressing economic concerns from 1948 to 1959, to explore the role played non-nationalist developmentalists in these inter-American events, and to compile biographical data on non-nationalist developmentalist figures, shedding light on their backgrounds and roles in shaping Brazil's diplomatic trajectory during this transformative period.