José Briceño-Ruiz

Brazil and Latin America: Between the Separation and Integration Paths challenges the “separatist” bias in the vision of Brazilian relations with its Latin American neighbors. By exploring the parallel existence of a path of integration, the focus of this study is on those forces which have intended to forge different forms of alignment, integration, and, sometimes, rightward union between Brazil and different Latin American countries. The authors analyze the ideas and projects inherent in the mindset of elites even before independence. They show that the path of integration has been more influential than is generally known. Ultimately, this book demonstrates the complexity around policy-making, debates on foreign policy, and the history of shaping the Brazilian self.

Brazil and Latin America: Between the Separation and Integration Paths challenges the “separatist” bias in the vision of Brazilian relations with its Latin American neighbors. By exploring the parallel existence of a path of integration, the focus of this study is on those forces which have intended to forge different forms of alignment, integration, and, sometimes, rightward union between Brazil and different Latin American countries. The authors analyze the ideas and projects inherent in the mindset of elites even before independence. They show that the path of integration has been more influential than is generally known. Ultimately, this book demonstrates the complexity around policy-making, debates on foreign policy, and the history of shaping the Brazilian self.

Creado en 1991 en un contexto favorable a las ideas de regionalismo abierto, el Mercosur fue un bloque comercial que en sus primero a os alcanz logros que llevaron a describirlo como uno de los procesos m s exitosos en la historia latinoamericana. Esta imagen positiva comenz a desvanecerse a fines de la d cada del noventa, cuando la crisis producida por la devaluaci n del Real en Brasil gener conflictos comerciales y una reducci n de la interdependencia regional, proceso que se profundiz con el default argentino de 2001. El ascenso al poder de gobiernos de centro-izquierda desde el a o 2003 ha estado acompa ado por el impulso de una serie de iniciativas para relanzar el proceso de integraci n del Mercosur y dotarlo de una s lida dimensi n social y productiva. El presente libro analiza este complejo proceso de integraci n regional, concentr ndose no s lo en su dimensi n comercial, sino tambi n en sus aspectos pol ticos, culturales, sociales y productivos. En este sentido, el libro incluye trabajos de destacados especialistas de Argentina, Brasil, Estados Unidos, Inglaterra, Paraguay, Uruguay y Venezuela. Entendiendo la complejidad del proceso mercosuriano, el libro adopta un enfoque multidisciplinario para explicar sus logros y retrocesos y para presentar escenarios sobre su desarrollo futuro.