Brazilian International Leadership: Unpacking the Politics of Hydroelectrical Infrastructure Integration in South America

MARCELO SAGUIER

Boston

Conferencia; Liberty and Security in a Time of Global Re-Ordering; 2012

Boston University

Brazil aspires to become a global player. For this to happen it also needs to invest in the construction of a politically cohesive and an economically integrated South American region. Brazilian leadership is paramount. Scholarly literature has largely approached Brazilian leadership as the international projection of state interest and power. Yet, such approach is ill suited to understand Brazil’s engagements along its region-global inter-relations. The concept of leadership needs to be further theorized to incorporate the dimensions of coalition-building and persuasion as integral dimensions of international power. The paper explores the emerging forms of international leadership of Brazil with the analysis of the process leading to hydro-electrical infrastructure integration in South America. This provides an opportunity to envisage new avenues of inquiry about the place of emerging powers in the regional and global governance, its opportunities and challenges. PROGRAMA: http://www.bu.edu/asian/files/2012/02/GREEN-Flyer_FINAL.pdf