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The following paper aims to reconstruct the evolution of this dynamic by tracing the interpretations and reinterpretations of the norm done by Brazilian state actors through the process of localization of the norm in the domestic discourse on climate change in Brazil from 2005 to 2010. The theoretical perspective is based on the literature about norms internalization that attempts to specify the conditions under which international norms find salience in particular domestic contexts. Two main interpretations coexist within the Brazilian political arena in the period within the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol until the signature of the Paris agreement that influenced the climate politics in Brazil in that period. The first stand around the norm was a traditional interpretation of the principle defending a position of historical responsibilities that implies that Brazil did not have to take greenhouse gas reduction measures. The second position is a more progressive interpretation of the norm that argues that Brazil, as an emergent country, can and must adopt emissions reductions. The tie between both positions allows us to understand the alleged ups and downs in climate policy in the time frame studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the evolution of contemporary international politics, ideological turns are important factors that affect the resetting of governments' external agendas and of intra-regional and extraregional ties. All of them are affected by the worldviews of political leaders who occupy a prominent place in governments and by the types of leadership that presidents choose to have in the exercise of their functions. This prompts us to analyse and reflect on the forms of international insertion South American countries in the regional, continental and global scene based on the perceptions of these leaders. The challenge is to analyse the pre-existing and emerging perceptions between Argentina and Brazil in the period 2003-2019 and how they shaped the regional integration processes. At the same time, this paper examines their trends based on the operational milieu, that is, according to the international and regional context and the evaluation of integrationist alternatives. The hypothesis is that the changes that took place in the operational milieu were a determining factor in the setting of the psychological milieu; and that the resetting of the agenda regarding regional integration shows both a change in perceptions and an effort to adapt to external and internal political turns. Thus, among the various existing perceptions, we highlight as the most relevant three ideal models/types that move towards two extremes to achieve a third that synthesizes them: the strategic alliance; nationalist-military thought (or traditional suspicion); and Mutually Assured Trust (MAT). The creation of concepts such as the MAT implies advancing in a relational model that removes uncertainty from the bilateral relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first decade of the XXI century evidenced transformations in the international order's financial dimension due to the growth in the so-called emerging powers. An indicator of such phenomenon is the emergence of multinational corporations from the developing world -MNC Latecomers-, turning certain countries, as is the case of Brazil, into net issuers of Foreign Direct Investment flows. In this sense, this paper analyzes the impact that the emergence and consolidation of Brazilian multinational corporations has had since 2003 until now on the foreign policy and the international insertion of Brazil (and vice versa), taking into consideration Robert Gilpin's classical work, "U.S. power and multinational corporation: the political economy of foreign direct investment." Gilpin's framework shall be useful for empirical contrast of this study case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world's most influential development agency, the World Bank Group (WBG), is the leading actor in development finance and plays a central role in global efforts to protect the environment. Following the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, the institution was responsible for all investment projects of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which was then newly established to serve as the interim financial mechanism for the United Nations Conventions on Climate Change and Biodiversity. The promise that the GEF would lead to the “greening” of development finance remains largely unfulfilled. More recently the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change appointed the WBG as the interim trustee of the new Green Climate Fund which plans to mobilize an estimated US$ 100 billion per year by 2020. While the World Bank Group plays this critical role in global environmental efforts, its main business continues to be lending for development. This includes the financing of large-scale infrastructure projects, agribusiness, large dams as well as investments in gas, oil and mining. This regular lending portfolio for development is often at odds with environmental sustainability. For example, despite the growing area of climate finance, support for fossil fuel projects continues to be dominant in the institution's lending for the energy sector. Another climate-related area is the World Bank's pioneering role in advancing REDD+, an initiative designed to reduce the emission of global green house gases by integrating efforts to protect forest areas into global carbon markets. Ultimately, its success will depend on addressing sensitive questions such as land ownership, forest governance and the equitable sharing of benefits. In conclusion the paper considers the underlying corporate culture and the difficulties in reconciling environmental and social sustainability with the institution's supply-side driven focus on meeting lending targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to describe certain elements that we consider constituent of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Brazil - Itamaraty - as "empty signifier." The tradition of continuity in foreign policy is the result of the combination of these elements, which, in the end, creates a distinctive institutional identity. Among them, we will describe the different values, principles and constants, the importance of strategic thinking and administrative evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to review the literature on epistemic communities, analyzing the concept and setting out the main arguments of the authors. In the first section, we present a proof of concept and the main arguments on epistemic communities. The second section is an analysis of the role played by the academic elite. In the third and final section presents a case study on the regulation of the use of stem cells in Brazil and the participation of scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]