Evolution of Geopolitical Thinking in Brazil

By : Wellington Dantas de Amorim , Selma Lúcia de Moura Gonzales , Oscar Medeiros Filho

Page No: 449-472

Abstract
This article examines Brazil’s practice of geopolitics and the core elements shaping its international insertion. Drawing on the country’s geographical location and historical trajectory, it seeks to identify and analyse factors that have defined Brazilian geopolitical thought and practice over a period of two centuries following independence. Towards this end, the article is divided into four sections. The first outlines the South American geopolitical environment and its distinctive security and defence dynamics. The second surveys principal scholars and recurring themes in the development of Brazil’s national geopolitical thought. The third discusses the principles and practices that underpin Brazilian foreign policy and elucidate the country’s broader geopolitical posture. The fourth provides a brief overview of Brazil–India relations, highlighting the main challenges and opportunities that have emerged within this bilateral framework.

Authors
Wellington Dantas de Amorim is a Professor at the Escola Superior de Defesa (Brazilian Defense College),
Brazil. Selma Lúcia de Moura Gonzales is a Professor at the Escola Superior de Defesa (Brazilian Defense College), Brazil.
Oscar Medeiros Filho is a Professor at the Escola Superior de Defesa (Brazilian Defense College), Brazil.
 

DOI: http://doi.org/10.32381/NS.2026.09.03.6