Assessing the role of Brazil in the New World Order: a geopolitical study about Meridionalism and Neo-Eurasianism
Abstract
This paper offers a perspective on the study of the connections between Neo-Eurasianism and Meridionalism. Its main argument contends about a possible tendency of Meridionalism in becoming an instrument of Neo-Eurasianism - and by extension of Russian national interests - in Latin America.
Although "Russian" interference in Brazil is not new, the bonds between Meridionalism and Neo-Eurasianism may now assume a clearer aspect in strategic terms between the two countries as never before. It is also noteworthy that both those formulations came from the Academia.
There is a particular logical inconsistency to be pointed out within Meridionalism: either an ideological purpose overcomes geostrategic goals or the opposite. In order to solve that problem, the structure of the paper is composed of two parts: (1) a short look at Brazilian School of Geopolitics' cores and (2) the comparative analysis of Meridionalism and Neo-Eurasianism.
The theoretical and methodological framework is linked to the realist theoretical tradition (positivism), with a mixture of geopolitical studies approach and strategic planning framework. Geopolitical studies tout court provide the tools to explain Brazilian School of Geopolitics' ideas and to identify geopolitical factors within the strategic plans.
Together with strategic planning, the comparative analysis of Meridionalism and Neo-Eurasianism, as strategic plans, is accomplished.