Diplomatas intelectuais ou intelectuais diplomatas? Existem ambos… - Felipe Estre, Paulo Roberto de Almeida
Leio sobre a publicação de um artigo sobre o qual tenho interesse em conhecer o inteiro teor, se o seu autor me fizer o favor:
When diplomacy meets academia: diplomatic non-fiction in Brazil
Aproveito, antes de transcrever o resumo, para dizer que o livro que comecei a organizar mais de cinco anos atrás, INTELECTUAIS NA DIPLOMACIA BRASILEIRA: A CULTURA A SERVIÇO DA NAÇÃO”, deve ser proximsmente publicado pela Francisco Alves- Unifesp.
Continuando:
Abstract
This article critically examines the intersection between diplomacy and academic scholarship in Brazil, with a particular focus on the role of myths in shaping both fields. Through a mythographic approach, the study explores how foundational narratives, particularly those centred around Itamaraty and its diplomats, have influenced the epistemological boundaries of Brazilian international relations (IR). The article introduces the concept of ‘diplomatic non-fiction’ to categorise the intellectual output of diplomats, arguing that this genre occupies a distinct space between academic analysis and practitioner narratives. By analysing how diplomatic narratives have been integrated into academic discourse, often without sufficient critical scrutiny, the study highlights the need for a clearer distinction between these two forms of knowledge production. This distinction is crucial for avoiding analytical blind spots that may arise from the uncritical acceptance of diplomatic perspectives in academic research. The article concludes by advocating for a more nuanced and reflexive engagement with diplomatic contributions, aiming to enrich the field of IR by encouraging a critical approach to the interplay between diplomacy and academia.
Notes
1 ‘Itamaraty’ is the name of the building in which the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is based. For a complete analysis of the history and significance of the ‘house’ of Brazilian diplomats, see Gobo (2019).
2 Brazilian Journal of International Politics.
3 Sixty Years of Brazilian Foreign Policy (1930–1960).
4 History of the Brazil-Nation.
5 History of Brazilian Foreign Policy.
6 Advanced Studies Course.
7 Alexandre de Gusmão Foundation.
8 Pinheiro and Vedoveli (2012) use the term ‘intellectual as diplomat’ to reinforce that even those diplomats well known for their intellectual production are still first and foremost servants of the Foreign Ministry.
9 Legitimacy and Other International Issues.
10 The journal Política Externa Independente(Independent Foreign Policy) was published between 1965 and 1966. Even though it had only three issues, it condenses importance pieces about the Brazilian foreign policy of that time (Vigevani, Thomaz, and Leite 2016).
11 A high-quality discursion of ‘autonomy’ in Fonseca Jr’s work can be found in Pinheiro and Lima (2018).
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Felipe Estre
Felipe Estre holds a PhD in international relations from King’s College London and the University of São Paulo, Brazil. He is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of International Relations, University of Brasília, in Brasília, Brazil. He is also a researcher at the Latin American Security and Defense Network (RESDAL). His research focuses on Brazilian foreign policy, diplomacy, the New Right, and populism.
