Ideas, Beliefs, Strategic Culture, and Foreign Policy: Understanding Brazil\u27s Geopolitical Thought

Brazil is an important player both at regional and global levels, figuring prominently in almost all lists of emerging states and regional powers. It is one of the world\u27s largest democracies, the fifth most populous country in the world, the world\u27s seventh-largest economy, and Latin America\u27s largest economy, accounting for approximately 60% of South America\u27s GDP, 47% of South America\u27s territory and 49% of South American population, a G20 member, and an active contributor to United Nations peacekeeping operations. However, despite being usually depicted as a monster country which would help shape global affairs, Brazil has never been able to match its geographic, territorial and demographic assets with global geostrategic clout, and military, political, and economic power. This research seeks to explain how a rising power such as Brazil has historically behaved, reacted and constructed a discourse that, at the same time, constrains/motivates its decisions, explains its actions, and legitimizes its behavior. More specifically, the puzzle to be solved is why Brazilian regional policies are not more assertive given Brazil\u27s capabilities? In order to answer this puzzle, this research will seek to analyze how a strategic culture influences a country\u27s geopolitical thought, and consequently its policy choices and outcomes; to identify and qualify the elements of Brazilian strategic culture and its nature, as well as determine the relationship between these elements and Brazilian foreign and security policy decisions; to analyze the influence of Brazilian strategic culture features upon the country\u27s geopolitical thought and grand strategy, and Brazil\u27s geopolitics to South America; and finally to discuss the question of the dynamics of strategic cultural change in Brazil and its implications for the country\u27s security and foreign policy decision-making process, as well as for its regional neighborhood

Brazilian National Defence Policy: foreign policy, national security, economic growth, and technological innovation

With the world’s ninth largest economy and comprising nearly 60% of South America’s GDP, 47% of its territory, and 49% of its population, Brazil has become a regional power and an important actor in world affairs over recent decades. This scenario has led the government to re-evaluate its role in the world order, resulting in the enactment of the National Defence Policy, whose objective was to consolidate the country as a regional power while at the same time addressing national security issues, promoting economic development through a series of defence programmes, restructuring the defence industrial base, fostering innovation through technology and knowledge transfer to Brazil, and indigenous research and development. However, the policy’s implementation suffers from several challenges discussed in this article, which may test the capability and competence of Brazilian policymakers, military, industrialists, and other individuals and organisations involved in its implementation

Software Livre para implementação de repositórios digitais e provedores de serviços: experiência da Embrapa Informática Agropecuária

O trabalho apresenta a experiência técnica da Embrapa Informática Agropecuária (CNPTIA), instituição de pesquisa em tecnologia da informação para agricultura, no contexto de software livre para implementação de repositórios digitais e provedores de serviços. Mais especificamente, serão relatados os estudos e as soluções de software livre escolhidas para viabilizar a inserção da Embrapa no modelo alternativo de comunicação científica denominado Acesso Aberto (Open Access Initiative), que visa promover o acesso livre e irrestrito à produção científica desenvolvida pelos pesquisadores e instituições, e que tem na implantação de repositórios digitais, sejam eles institucionais ou temáticos, uma de suas estratégias principais.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Spies And Policymakers: Intelligence In The Information Age

Massive changes and continuous developments in the uses and applications of technology and communications have changed the way we see the world. The Information Revolution has had an impact upon intelligence collection, processing, analysis, and dissemination, and upon the way policymakers can access reliable information, in a timely manner, and upon the sources they are most likely to rely on when a specific piece of information is needed to support a decision. This study attempts to describe, analyze and explain the nature of the ongoing Information Revolution, to present its main impacts on the intelligence and policy communities, to discuss the relationship between the Intelligence Community and policymakers, and to propose what the IC should do to meet the high expectations of decision-makers

Brazilian National Defence Policy: Foreign Policy, National Security, Economic Growth, And Technological Innovation

With the world’s ninth largest economy and comprising nearly 60% of South America’s GDP, 47% of its territory, and 49% of its population, Brazil has become a regional power and an important actor in world affairs over recent decades. This scenario has led the government to re-evaluate its role in the world order, resulting in the enactment of the National Defence Policy, whose objective was to consolidate the country as a regional power while at the same time addressing national security issues, promoting economic development through a series of defence programmes, restructuring the defence industrial base, fostering innovation through technology and knowledge transfer to Brazil, and indigenous research and development. However, the policy’s implementation suffers from several challenges discussed in this article, which may test the capability and competence of Brazilian policymakers, military, industrialists, and other individuals and organisations involved in its implementation

Software livre para implementação de repositórios digitais e provedores de serviços: experiência da Embrapa Informática Agropecuária

The paper presents the technical expertise of Embrapa Information Technology (CNPTIA), research institution in information technology for agriculture in the context of free software for implementing digital repositories and service providers. More specifically, the studies will be reported and open source solutions chosen to enable the insertion of Embrapa in alternative Open Access model, which aims to promote free and unfettered access to scientific production by researchers and institutions, and has the deployment of digital repositories, institutional or subject, one of its main strategies