Transnational regionalism and physical integration in South America: a geographical study about the Initiative for the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure

Author(s)

Eloi Martins Senhoras

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Geociências
• Defense date: 2008-10-01

Examining board members

Claudete de Castro Silva Vitte; Wanderley Messias da Costa; Claudio Schuller Maciel

• Advisor: Claudete de Castro Silva Vitte

Abstract

This dissertation studied the international macroestrutures of the transnational regionalism in South America taking into perspective the analysis of the Initiative for the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure of South America (IIRSA), a planned network focused on the sectors of transport, energy and telecommunications. This research has developed a historical periodization about the construction of the geographical space in South America taking as granted the study of the territorial formation since the colonial period up to the urging period of the transnational regional integration processes. From theoretical and historical landmarks in the international scale to the conformation of strategical developments of infrastructure networks in South America this dissertation presents a systematic study about the spatial policy called transnational regionalism The study of the transnational regionalism has examined the vision of IIRSA¿s territorial planning in order to characterize its geostrategic centrality in the strengthening of South America and the role of Brazilian influence in its construction. Troughout this discussion subsidies were supplied to demonstrate that the process of transnational regionalization has been strengthened in South America due to a material network language at the IIRSA projects by the introduction of an operative field of power in the territorial system that is not structurally horizontal (AU)