Abstract Since the 2000s, the number of immigrants has been growing in Brazil, as well as the cases of xenophobia. There are multiple explanations in the literature on the drivers of attitudes towards immigrants, which vary at the individual, regional and national analytical levels. We discuss and situate the argument of societal integration within the debate on whether social trust can reduce negative attitudes towards immigrants. We argue that social trust is key to reducing negative perceptions towards immigrants and a good predictor of attitudes in environments with strong perceived threat and prejudice, as is the case in Brazil. We empirically test whether greater generalized trust and trust in foreigners are related to a more positive attitude towards immigrants. Although this relationship has already been studied in other countries, to the best of our knowledge no study has yet been applied to the Brazilian case. Using data from the World Values Survey wave 7, and applying a logit model, our results corroborate that social trust has a positive impact on perceptions towards immigrants.

Home to the Amazon and other important biomes and to countries with long coastlines, most of Latin America faces a variety of enduring environmental challenges. Nonetheless, the region’s academic production on international environmental policy is fragmented and dispersed. This study aims to systematically analyze the literature on environmental governance in Latin America (2004–2023), with a special focus on theoretical approaches, methods, and issues. Our sample includes papers published in indexed academic journals written in English, Portuguese, or Spanish to answer the following question: How can Latin American literature on environmental policy help us understand environmental governance in the region and globally? Complementarily, we ask the following: What topics have been prioritized? What theories and methods have been used? What gaps remain? We suggest a future research agenda and hope to help strengthen the international relations (IR) environmental governance literature by providing subsidies to improve research in the region.

The role of civil society in environmental governance generally increased markedly from the early 1990s as democracy took root in more countries (some of which have since experienced retrenchment toward less democratic, more authoritarian forms of rule). The growing influence of civil society has similarly been the case in marine governance. Civil society operates at all levels of governance – including the local, the regional and the international – through a wide variety of actors – from individuals and nongovernmental organisations to social movements and informal networks. Civil society actors operationalise their influence on marine environmental governance through various means, including diplomacy, advocacy, education, and provision of technical information. They have done so in a wide range of issues areas, such as management of fisheries, conservation of biological diversity, ‘policing’ activities on the high seas, and surveying – and sometimes cleaning up – pollution. Civil society actors have been successful in influencing marine environmental governance on many occasions; at others, they have been less successful.

The article aims to answer the question: what explains the absence of gender policies in official Brazilian defense documents? Therefore, it suggests that such absence is also a result of military influence in politics. That is, the challenges faced by Brazilian military women, such as limited access to certain weapons and specialties, restrictions on forms of entry, infrastructure problems and the lack of legislation to support them, are reflections of the interests of political elites and their relationship with the military leaders, who do not always have the political will to put the issue of gender on the agenda, striving to keep the organization unscathed from social changes. The article employs the process tracking technique, with a special focus on the search for empirical evidence.

Professors may start teaching either out of love or out of convenience, with limited resources.This article provides a brief manual for planning, designing and implementing PS&IR courses.We discuss syllabi, from the basics to the inclusion of transversal topics, then present eight active learning strategies plus traditional lectures, and debate assessments.Although we consider the context of new teachers within Brazilian universities, we believe this is useful for professors from all countries and levels of experience.Thereby, we provide practical advice for teachers to live happily ever after in their pedagogical love story (even if it did not start that way).

How does marine governance occur in South America? In order to answer this question, we envision the marine environment based on a framework on socioecological systems and identify the main rules, actors and interactions. Our exploratory empirical study first mapped all of the global and regional multilateral agreements issue related since 1931. Second, we compared the main global agreements to the regional ones, to characterize the institutional dynamics around the marine environment in South America. Three results stand out. Eighty-two international agreements were identified, of which only ten are related solely to the countries of the region. Also, we found that pollution and biodiversity are the most recurrent themes among the interactions and rules that have been established. Finally, we conclude that the institutional configuration related to the marine environment in South America is a scenario of overlapping regimes, which may lead to problems such as lack of coordination in relation to the use of this environment.

Como se dá a governança marinha na América do Sul? A fim de responder essa questão, vislumbramos o ambiente marinho a partir de um framework sobre sistemas socioecológicos (SSE) e identificamos as principais regras, atores e interações. Realizamos uma pesquisa empírica de caráter exploratório que compreendeu em: 1) mapear todos os acordos multilaterais, globais e regionais, relacionados ao tema, promovidos desde 1931; e 2) comparar os principais acordos globais em relação aos regionais, a fim de caracterizar a dinâmica institucional em torno do ambiente marinho na América do Sul. Três dos resultados se destacam. Foram identificados 82 acordos internacionais, dos quais apenas dez são relativos exclusivamente aos países da região. Segundo, no que tange ao tema das interações e regras estabelecidas, identificamos que poluição e biodiversidade são os mais recorrentes. Concluímos que a configuração institucional referente ao ambiente marinho na América do Sul assemelha-se a um cenário de sobreposição de regimes, podendo acarretar problemas tais como falta de coordenação em relação ao uso desse ambiente.

In 2005, renewable energy policies were present in 43 countries. Ten years later, this number had tripled. This policy diffusion phenomenon can be explained from several perspectives. Literature has documented the main sociopolitical aspects of this process, yet there is room to explore the economic drivers behind it, such as income, energy prices, financing, trade, foreign direct investment, and lobbying. This chapter focuses on the Brazilian wind sector, where international competition might have played a major role. The goal is to identify the economic triggers behind this policy diffusion process within the period 2005–2015.

Com base na ideia de interdependência, o seguinte trabalho trata da influência que as organizações internacionais podem exercer na política interna dos Estados, considerando a perspectiva da difusão de políticas públicas. Como estudo de caso, o trabalho analisa a influência exercida pela UNICEF na formulação de políticas públicas voltadas à infância e adolescência no Brasil, enfocando o programa Selo UNICEF – Município Aprovado. Entre os resultados principais, foi observado um processo de difusão por meio da atuação da organização através de seis mecanismos apresentados pela literatura (aprendizado, emulação, externalidades, coação, socialização e competição), bem como quatro dos cinco instrumentos na difusão de ideias, normas e políticas (disseminação de ideias, configurações padronizadas, funções coordenadoras e suporte técnico; o suporte financeiro não foi usado).

Resumo Introdução: Quem ganha mais em política de comércio exterior? Este estudo observa o processo decisório da Câmara de Comércio Exterior (Camex) no âmbito do presidencialismo de coalizão brasileiro. Ministros de Estado com preferências distintas são constrangidos a tomar decisões sobre propostas de políticas de comércio exterior. Nossa hipótese principal estabelece que, quanto maior a distância ideológica entre o partido de um ministro do partido do Presidente, menor será a chance de êxito desse ministro na Camex. Materiais e Métodos: A partir da análise de conteúdo das atas das reuniões do Conselho de Ministros da Camex entre 2001 e 2010, levantamos 292 propostas de defesa comercial e alterações tarifárias submetidas por ministros à Camex. Utilizamos, então, técnicas de regressão logística e de regressão logística para eventos raros (ReLogit) afim de verificar se a distância ideológica importa para a probabilidade de êxito dos ministros. Resultados: Apesar de algumas ressalvas metodológicas, nossos resultados permitem confirmar a hipótese do estudo, com impacto negativo e significativo da distância ideológica sobre o êxito dos ministros. Os modelos de regressão devem considerar oposições pontuais de membros da Camex sobre algumas propostas dos ministros no Conselho. Discussão: Verifica-se, portanto, que a Camex pode ser considerada uma instância de controle institucionalizado do presidente sobre o gabinete, para além dos controles já usualmente exercidos.

Qual o status do combate ao tráfico humano nos países da América do Sul? Conforme o modelo de Weiss e Jacobson (1998) de implementação e compliance de acordos, quatro variáveis foram abordadas: características da atividade e do acordo envolvidos, ambiente internacional e fatores domésticos. O principal resultado é que a implementação e o compliance de prevenção do Protocolo são relativamente bem-sucedidos, mas as provisões de criminalização e proteção permanecem problemáticos.

How do renewable energy policies (REPs) diffuse internationally? Are there differences between developed and developing countries? Which actors are diffusing these REPs? Also, what predominates when considering REP diffusion, national or international factors? The goal of this paper is to analyze the main vectors and actors that influence renewable energy policy adoption and identify differences between developed and developing countries. We access those questions by a mixed method analysis: quali and quantitatively. First, we discuss qualitatively the main external, intermediate and internal actors behind international wind energy policies diffusion. Then, we estimate a Poisson regression model using data for 194 countries, 102 of which are developing countries, from 2005 to 2015 testing the role of policy diffusion mechanisms on renewable energy policy diffusion. Among the main results, we found strong evidence of socialization and learning on international policy diffusion to developing countries, while domestic factors play a major role, especially with regard to market liberalization in developed countries. We also show some of the key actors related to REPs and we note that the causal mechanisms that lead to the adoption of REPs may differ among countries according to their level of economic development.

Is it possible to infer that the BRICS has boosted energy cooperation between Brazil and China? If yes, how did it happen? Here, we attempt to answer these questions by analyzing all of the statements from the eight summits promoted under the BRICS (2009-2016), as well as thirty-four energy related bilateral international acts promoted among BRICS countries between 1994 and 2015. Among the main results, we found that, while bilateral energy relations between Brazil and Russia, and India and South Africa, respectively, have undergone subtle changes during this period, Brazil-China energy relations underwent an enlargement concerning their scope and complexity. Thus, it is possible to suggest that the BRICS provided an especially cooperative environment for these two countries in the energy sector, although we cannot infer causality. In addition, we found that the direction of the negotiations seems to have shifted towards a more favorable position for China.

Este trabalho foca nas experiências e desafios particulares das mulheres na carreira diplomática brasileira. Através de entrevistas e análise documental, apresentamos uma descrição original sobre o processo de concessão de promoções na carreira e dos principais eventos recentes que culminaram em mudanças práticas na organização do Itamaraty. Discutimos, então, a instituição e implementação de cotas informais criadas durante a gestão do ex-chanceler Celso Amorim, bem como a criação e funcionamento do Comitê Gestor de Gênero e Raça. Neste contexto, identificamos que a organização informal das diplomatas é o principal canal de construção e visibilização da agenda comum das mulheres da carreira. Também verificamos que a demanda por reconhecimento das experiências de discriminação e das barreiras enfrentadas na progressão da carreira são os pontos mais sensíveis nesta agenda e que o exemplo das cotas demonstrou que a sobrevivência de regras para compensar os efeitos da desigualdade na carreira depende de sua formalização.

What are the main impacts of globalization and new information and communication technologies (ICTs) on female empowerment? The first part of this paper surveys two main disputing arguments concerning this issue through a review of the literature investigating the causal mechanisms that links both dimensions. One stream of academia highlights the negative impacts of globalization. It argues how market liberalization resulted in the weakening of welfare policies and the flexibilization of labor rights. Another stream of literature emphasizes the role played by international organizations, like the World Bank, as well as civil society movements, and highlights how globalization made it possible for women conquer an important place in their societies. This paper attempts to add to these analyses the assumption that ICTs provided differential opportunities to women. The second part of the paper verifies which arguments are most consistent with empirical data. In a panel analysis from 2000 to 2014 we focus on how globalization may have affected female economic empowerment (measured as women’s participation in the work force) and political representation (measured as women participation on the labor force and participation in national parliaments). We find evidence that access to ICTs may represent a crucial variable to enhance women’s empowerment.

A transicao entre a Organizacao da Unidade Africana (OUA) e a Uniao Africana (UA) afetou a configuracao dos acordos firmados entre os paises-membros? A principal hipotese e que houve diferenca significativa entre a OUA e a UA quanto aos acordos firmados no âmbito de cada organizacao. Metodologicamente, o trabalho adota uma orientacao quali-quanti e se baseia em um estudo de caso comparativo entre os blocos de integracao regional cujas diretrizes sao formalizadas, respectivamente, por dois acordos multilaterais regionais: a Carta da Organizacao da Unidade Africana (que entrou em vigor em 1963) e o Ato Constitutivo da Uniao Africana (2001). Os dados foram analisados por meio de estatistica descritiva e teste t de Student. Entre os principais resultados, nao ha diferenca estatisticamente significativa (p-valor<0,000) entre o tempo medio de entrada em vigor dos acordos firmados nas duas organizacoes. Por outro lado, considerando a disparidade de tempo de vigencia entre ambas, foram encontrados percentuais muito proximos em relacao a quantidade de acordos abertos a assinaturas e ratificados nas mesmas. Assim, ha indicios preliminares de que o Ato Constitutivo da UA esteja trazendo resultados diferentes na configuracao dos acordos relacionados

One of the main challenges of international environmental agreements is improving relevant policy actions to promote adequate environmental responses. To support the work of decision makers, recent studies have used environmental and social indicators to construct global and regional-scale indices. This study aimed to use the Ocean Health Index and the Management Ranking for Brazilian States to assess Brazil’s performance regarding the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (ABTs) for coastal and marine ecosystems. Thus, six ABTs were matched and their performance was evaluated. These ABTs focused on the following topics: pollution, fish and invertebrate stocks, pressures on coral, threatened species and their conservation, the contribution of biodiversity to carbon stocks and the national biodiversity strategy and action plan. However, although the indices used showed many pathways to explore how Brazil is performing, it is still complex to evaluate ABTs’ performance regarding coastal and marine ecosystems at a global and regional scale.

Qual o impacto da democracia sobre a performance dos paises no quesito ambiental? Este trabalho testa a hipotese de que o nivel de democratizacao exerce um efeito positivo sobre o desempenho ambiental dos Estados. A populacao de interesse sao os 193 paises contidos no basic cross-section dataset do QOG. As variaveis analisadas sao o Environmental Performance Index (2014), o Freedom House/Imputed Polity, o The Region of the Country e o Indice de Desenvolvimento Humano (IDH). O desenho de pesquisa combina estatistica descritiva, espacial e multivariada. Em particular, elaboramos um modelo de minimos quadrados ordinarios (MQO) para estimar o efeito da democracia sobre a performance ambiental. Alem disso, testamos a correlacao espacial entre os paises quanto aos seus respectivos indices desempenho de ambiental. Os resultados apontam que, no nivel agregado, a democracia exerce um efeito positivo sobre a performance ambiental. Contudo, ao desagregar por continente geografico, o efeito e estatisticamente significativo apenas para Asia e Europa. Alem disso, a autocorrelacao espacial global indica uma associacao fraca, positiva e estatisticamente significativa em relacao ao desempenho ambiental (I = 0,290; p-valor < 0,05).

The zoning reef environments allows us to evaluate possible anthropic impacts and to subsidize future management plans. This study aimed to survey the reef-flat's benthic species (with special emphasis on cnidarians) in the first line of reefs of the Costa dos Corais, as well as to calculate and compare their percentage cover. Continuous line transects were carried out in six beaches of the area, in three regions of the reef flat and with four replicates for each region. The results showed greatest cover of algae in all of the beaches except for Tamandare, PE. Among the cnidarians, the zoanthids were predominant, but the scleractinian corals Siderastrea stellata and Favia gravida also occurred. Other organisms found were poriferans, the mollusk Brachidontes exustus and the echinoderm Echinometra lucunter. Bleaching was observed in the two species of corals found (in all of the beaches visited) and in the zoanthid Palythoa caribaeorum. Overall, the organisms recorded were characterized by their resistance to the unstable conditions of the reef-flat. Additionally, the cluster analyses showed that factors such as the nearness to bodies of water and human impact have substantial influence in the reef-flat's benthic cover composition, even more than the close distance between some areas.