IRI 314:  Brazil on the Global Stage: 
Culture, Politics, Business, and Society

Purpose:

• ​This course is designed for undergraduate students of all majors who want a structured understanding of Brazil, including the key cultural, political, economic, and social dynamics that shape the country and its role in global affairs.
• The purpose of this course is to help students understand Brazil. Rather than treating Brazil only as a case within abstract international relations theory, the course examines how Brazil’s history, political institutions, economic structure, and social realities shape its role in global affairs today. Students learn how Brazil engages the world, and how global forces in turn shape Brazil.

Introduction:

• This course examines Brazil’s role in global affairs by connecting international relations theory with place-based observation and applied analysis. Students study how Brazil’s historical experience, political institutions, economic structure, and social realities shape its engagement with global trade, regional integration, multilateral diplomacy, and climate governance. The course pays particular attention to the tensions between domestic development priorities and international commitments in a fragmented global order.
• Instruction combines interactive lectures, case discussions, and analytical writing with professional and cultural visits in Rio de Janeiro, Paraty, and São Paulo. These visits are treated as structured case material and are integrated into the curriculum through regular faculty-led debrief sessions. Students develop skills in comparative analysis, policy-oriented writing, and evidence-based argumentation. The course is designed for students seeking a deeper understanding of Brazil and its evolving role on the global stage.

Course Description:

• ​Brazil occupies a distinctive position in international affairs. It is a large democracy, a major economy, a leading agricultural and energy producer, and a central actor in Latin America and the Global South. Yet Brazil does not fit neatly into the categories of either great power or peripheral state. Its influence is often exercised through diplomacy, coalition-building, and agenda-setting rather than coercion.
• This course explores Brazil’s role on the global stage by combining international relations frameworks with direct observation and place-based learning. Students analyze how Brazil approaches trade, development, climate policy, regional leadership, and multilateral cooperation in a fragmented and increasingly multipolar global order. Particular attention is given to the tensions between domestic priorities and international commitments, and to how Brazil balances relationships with major global powers while pursuing strategic autonomy.
• Classroom sessions are integrated with professional, institutional, and cultural visits in Rio de Janeiro, Paraty, and São Paulo. These experiences serve as core course material. Faculty-led debrief sessions guide students in connecting what they see on the ground to course concepts, comparative analysis, and current policy debates.

Course Objectives:

• Upon the successful completion of this course students will be able to: 
• Explain key concepts and frameworks from international relations and foreign policy analysis.
• Describe the historical foundations of Brazilian foreign policy and diplomatic practice.
• Analyze Brazil’s role in global trade, development, and multilateral institutions.
• Assess Brazil’s strategies toward regional leadership and Global South cooperation.
• Evaluate the interaction between domestic political economy and external policy choices.
• Produce clear, evidence-based analytical writing grounded in both theory and observation.

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Prerequisites:

• Open to undergraduate students from all majors. Graduate students may enroll with permission when appropriate. 
• No prerequisites. Students should be prepared for active discussion, analytical writing, and professional conduct during site visits in a cross-cultural setting.
• See application guidelines for requirements.

Course Requirements:

• The course requires active student participation.  Students are expected to read the assigned textbook chapters, cases and articles before every class.  There will be a midterm exam, a final exam, case studies and a team project. Students are required to attend professional visits.

​Teaching Procedures and Methodology:
The course combines the following elements:

• Interactive lectures introducing analytical frameworks and historical context.
• Case discussions based on current events and policy challenges.
• Professional and institutional visits treated as structured case material.
• Regular faculty-led debrief sessions linking visits to course concepts.
• Individual and group writing assignments emphasizing clarity and argumentation.

Active participation is essential. Students are expected to complete assigned readings before class and to contribute thoughtfully to discussions and debriefs.


Professional Visits and Academic Integration:

• Professional and institutional visits are treated as required course activities and serve as case material for class discussion and written assignments. Students are expected to prepare in advance, take structured notes during visits, and contribute to post-visit debrief sessions. Visit-based analysis may be assessed through memos, short reflections, or exam questions.

Required Readings:

• The Brazil Reader: History, Culture, Politics (Duke University Press, 2019), ISBN-13  :  978-0822371076

• A course packet of readings will be provided by the instructor, including short academic chapters, policy briefs, and current case materials focused on Brazil’s diplomacy, political economy, and global governance. Students should expect regular reading assignments before class meetings and debrief sessions.

Recommended Readings:

• Brazil: The Troubled Rise of a Global Power, Michael Reid. Yale University Press, ISBN-13  :  978-0300216974
• Understanding Contemporary Brazil (Routledge, 2025) by Jeff Garmany and Anthony Pereira, ISBN-13  :  978-1032679761

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Useful Websites:​​

• BBC World News – www.bbc.com Global coverage with strong reporting on Latin America and international affairs.
• The Economist – www.economist.com Weekly analysis on global politics, business, and emerging markets.
• Financial Times – www.ft.com Strong coverage of global markets, commodities, and major economies including Brazil.
• Wall Street Journal – www.wsj.com International business reporting and global economic context
• GlobalEDGE – globaledge.msu.edu Country profiles, data tools, and trade insights relevant to Brazil
• World Factbook (CIA) – www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook Quick reference for political and economic overviews
• CEBRI (Brazilian Center for International Relations). Research and events on Brazil’s foreign policy and global role.
• Itamaraty (Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Official background on Brazil’s diplomacy and external relations.
• IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics). Core demographic and economic data.
• Banco Central do Brasil (Central Bank). Monetary policy, reports, and time series data.
• IPEA (Institute for Applied Economic Research). Policy research and data.​

Course Content:

• All of our courses are designed with a modular format.  Students should expect to cover at least 80% of the content per module, depending upon the Session selected.

Module 1: Understanding Brazil’s Foreign Policy Tradition

• Brazil’s diplomatic history and institutional foundations
• Core international relations perspectives applied to Brazil
• Strategic autonomy, non-alignment, and coalition diplomacy
• The role of domestic politics in foreign policy formulation

Module 2: Brazil in the Global Political Economy

• Trade, commodities, and global value chains
• Industrial policy, development strategies, and external constraints
• Regional integration in South America
• Brazil’s relationships with major economic partners

Module 3: Brazil, the Global South, and Multilateral Diplomacy

• Brazil’s engagement in multilateral institutions
• South-South cooperation and coalition-building
• Leadership aspirations and practical limitations
• Brazil’s role in shaping agendas rather than enforcing outcomes

Module 4: Climate, Energy, and Global Governance

• Brazil’s position in climate and environmental diplomacy
• Tensions between development, conservation, and global commitments
• Energy transition and resource politics
• Governance reform and Brazil’s vision of the international system

Module - Introduction to Brazil

• ​Offered concurrently throughout the course, this cross-listed module provides critical context on the structure, policies, and evolution of Brazil on the Global Stage. Students will engage with academic briefings and experiential visits to cultural institutions, non profit agencies, and multinational organizations, supporting a deeper understanding of the regulatory and cultural environment within which Brazil operates.

• This module provides essential context for interpreting professional visits and local environments. Topics may include:
  • Brazil’s political system and federal structure
  • Social inequality, informality, and public services
  • Race, identity, and cultural formation in modern Brazil
  • Economic geography. Rio, São Paulo, and the role of ports, industry, and finance
  • Media, civil society, and political mobilization
  • Public security and urban life in comparative perspective
  • Brazil’s international image and cultural industries
  • Paraty and the Atlantic world. Colonial trade routes, slavery, and early global integration.
• Students maintain a structured field journal throughout Rio, Paraty, and São Paulo. Selected entries are revised into a short portfolio of 3 to 4 brief analyses connecting visits to course frameworks. This portfolio supports the team project and the final integrative assessment.

Schedule

• Students should expect to be in class in the morning, and to have professional visits to leading Brazilian and international companies in the afternoons.  Class schedules are posted online.

Components of Final Grade:
    Midterm exam 20%
    Final exam      30%
    Team project   20%
    Participation    10%
    Introduction to Brazil 20%

Grading Scale:
    A    93 - 100%
    A-   90 - 92.9%
    B+  87 - 89.9%
    B    83 - 86.9%
    B-   80 - 82.9%
    C+  77 - 79.9% 
    C    73 - 76.9%
    C-   70 - 72.9%
    D+  67 - 69.9%
    D    63 - 66.9%
    D-   60 - 62.9%
    F    Below 60%


Credit Transfer:

• Courses are designed in order to facilitate the acceptance of credits by U.S. based and international universities.  
• Our courses are designed to be 300-level courses, adequate for undergraduate students, upper division level (The courses are designed to be specific and in-depth, and would usually be taken in the last two years of a traditional four year degree program).  Each of the courses is worth 3.0 U.S. semester credit hours (6.0 ECTS and Australian credits).  Each 3.0 credit course will include 48 academic hours, composed of in-class instruction and technical visits to local companies and organizations.  

Host University:

• ESPM, Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing.  Founded in 1951, ESPM established itself as a center of excellence in the teaching of administration, marketing, international relations and communications.  As a private, non-profit institution, ESPM is among the elite few in Brazil to receive the highest grade in evaluation by MEC (the Brazilian Ministry of Education). ESPM has four campuses in Brazil:  São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre and in Florianopolis.  The school has approximately 10,000 students across various campuses, studying a variety of subjects at the undergraduate and graduate levels.  In total there are approximately 600 professors.  ESPM is recognized by the Ministry of Education (MEC) and accredited internationally by the Executive MBA Council, and in Brazil by the National MBA Association (ANAMBA). The school offers undergraduate degree programs in business administration, social communication (marketing, advertising and public relations), design, journalism, and international relations.

Language:

• This courses is taught 100% in English.  
• English proficiency is required.  

Academic Integrity:

• ESPM places a high value on the integrity, good conduct and academic honesty of all students. Students are expected to maintain high standards of academic integrity at all times. Any instance of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, will result in a grade of F for the course.

  

Course Summary:

• Course Code:  IRI 314
• ​Academic Credits:  3
• Hours:  48 academic hours
• Program: Summit Brazil
• Hosted by:  ESPM (Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing)

Download Syllabus:

syllabus_iri314_espm_summit_brazil_summer_2027_v01.pdf
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Note: course offerings are subject to change.