Carlos R. S. Milani

Política externa brasileira: os desafios de sua caracterização como política pública

Starting from the perspective that foreign policy is a public policy (i.e. the state and government in action at the international level) this article discusses t he conceptual and political implications of the n ew configuration of Brazilian foreign policy. By considering foreign policy as public policy, the authors break its automatic association with crude versions of Realism and bring it to the field of politics, thus recognizing that its formulation a nd implementation f all w ithin the dynamics of governmental choices which, in turn, stem from negotiations within coalitions, bargaining, disputes and agreements between representatives of diverse interests. As a result, the text removes foreign policy from a condition linked to inertial and supposedly self-evident and/or permanent national interests (protected from injunctions of cyclical nature related to partisan politics) and strips it of features generally attributed (or preconceived) to so-called state policies. Finally, the authors suggest avenues for an innovative research agenda, such as (i) advancing sociological, organizational and institutional debates on the role of diplomatic agency, the process of learning and transformation, and the need to establish new institutional arrangements; (ii) rethinking the place of diplomatic agency in public administration; and (iii) incorporating comparative spatial and temporal perspectives in foreign policy analysis, in order to broaden our analytical capacities on contexts and contradictions. These moves allow the reader to understand how systemic opportunities, different national and historical contexts, multiple state and non-state actors, domestic and inter/transnational agendas play a role in foreign policy, especially in countries with characteristics similar to those of Brazil.

APRENDENDO COM A HISTÓRIA: críticas à experiência da Cooperação Norte-Sul e atuais desafios à Cooperação Sul-Sul

Based on the critical limitations that were pinpointed regarding the historical experience of the North-South Cooperation, (NSC), the main objective of this paper is to analyze some of the dilemmas that the current strategies of South-South Cooperation (SSC) have to face, which were conceived and developed in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, India, China, Turkey or South Africa. The author defends the hypothesis that the differentiation between NSC and CSS is basically empiric, but that it can also be considered in the view of the multilateral legacy of activism in some of these countries and the new economic and political role they play in the international scenario. The argument is based on the fact that since they were and still are NSC beneficiaries, the aforementioned countries should be aware of the risks of reproducing a cooperation model that they have recently criticized. What is unique and special in the practices of the SSC in these countries? What are the risks that the SSC practices would show less solidarity than the promises announced by their leaders and political representatives?

Atores não estatais e trade policy - making no Brasil: análise dos interesses e das estratégias da CEB e da REBRIP

The article analyzes how actors from the business sector (CEB) and organized civil society (REBRIP) worked to defend their interests in order to influence Brazils international trade negotiation strategy-making between 1995 and 2010. The study also seeks to understand the extent to which non-state actors succeeded in affecting the Brazilian governments definition of its official positions and priorities. The main conclusions are the following: a) a convergence of interests between business sectors and institutional actors vis-a-vis the choice of trade negotiation forums; b) the essentially protectionist profile of interests coordinated by CEB in the main negotiations; c) the role of REBRIP, organized primarily in the field of challenging the principles of the negotiating strategy itself, with only a marginal direct contribution to shaping the agenda for negotiating regional or multilateral trade agreements; and d) the involvement of REBRIP as an element for democratization of the foreign trade policy agenda in Brazil.

COOPERAÇÃO SUL-SUL EM EDUCAÇÃO E RELAÇÕES BRASIL-PALOP

Studies on North-South and South-South development cooperation have demonstrated that there are distinct types of historical experiences, with multiple domestic actors being involved and thematic agendas being reinforced based on different political motivations, as well as various institutional designs conceived by national governments in order to implement their international development cooperation (IDC) strategies. This paper focuses on Brazil’s strategies as a provider of IDC in the field of education (IDC/ED), analysing its general trends, institutional design, agendas and actors, but also presenting an overview of Brazilian IDC/ED in Portuguese-Speaking African Countries (PALOPS), with a case-study on Mozambique, and taking into account the perceptions of beneficiaries.

(Re)Definindo a sustentabilidade no complexo contexto da gestão social: reflexões a partir de duas práticas sociais

Docs the practice of social management have implications in terms of definition of tools and methodologies in managing social organizations? Is it possible to use management tools practiced within corporation in the field of social organizations? Are there adaptations to be developed? In order to answer such questions, this article analyzes two experiences in the federate-state of Bahia (Fundacao Terra Mirim and the Grupo de Apoio a Prevencao a Aids da Bahia-GAPA). The conclusion is that sustainability - when thought and implemented in the field of social management - evolves with characteristics that are very different from sustainability indicators that management science traditionally presents to managers and organizational researchers. This article builds an argument for another definition of sustainability within social organizations.

Brazil’s foreign policy (2003–2010) towards the IMF: rhetorical and political change during Lula government

Brazil experienced significant financial turbulence in the 1990s, which made the Fernando Henrique Cardoso government seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in times of relatively collaborative and non-conflicting relationship with this agency. Lula’s arrival in power raised a series of political questions on how his government would interact with the Fund. The objective of this article is to discuss Brazil’s foreign policy towards the IMF, highlighting its domestic and systemic dimensions, through bibliographical research and an analysis of the official statements made by the president, chancellor and treasurers between 2003 and 2010.