From Hostility To Cooperation: 1979--1985 The Construction Marxist Interpretation Of The Relationship Between Brazil And Argentina

As two great powers in South America, Brazil and Argentina had been either atwar or in confrontation with each other from the colonial rule to the late1970s. Thetension originated in the clashes between the two countries’ former suzerains Portugaland Spain and was repeatedly agitated by competitions for regional dominance,territorial disputes and economic rivalry.1979to1985is a vital period in the historyof Brazil-Argentina ties, when the two countries moved from mutual hostility todetente and cooperation, which opened a new chapter in their relations, laid thegroundwork for unity, stability and accelerated regional integration in South Americaand served to safeguard and promote world peace and development.Academic research on the evolution of Brazil-Argentina ties in theaforementioned period has been scarce in general both home and abroad. Studies byfar offer examinations of the cause, dynamics and effects of the shifts in twocountries’ relations mostly using a realistic or liberalistic approach, which is mutuallycomplementary to the constructivist method adopted for this thesis. Notwithstandingthat one theoretical framework may produce more convincing conclusions than othersin a specific context, it risks being partial to approach historical events with only onetheory. Therefore, in the realism predominant research on Sino-US relations, scholarshave also attempted constructivism while elaborating on certain outstanding issues.The author aims to explore the changes and implications thereof in theBrazil-Argentina ties in the given period using a constructivist approach bystudying the two countries’ repositioning of each other’s identity and ensuing bilateralengagement in that light, with an attempt to add to existing research efforts.The thesis has four parts. Chapter One takes a look at the research status quo onthe proposed subject and main views and methodology of the constructivist approach,followed by three chapters on the evolution of Brazil-Argentina ties in chronologicalorder. Chapter Two focuses on the formation and connotation of the two countries’views of each other. Chapter Three analyses the gradual ease of tension as a result ofchanges in government policies and public opinion on both sides. Chapter Fourexplains how the two countries ultimately gave up confrontation for cooperation andfostered a bilateral common security framework based on their interactions andconcept building during the Malvinas War. The Conclusion summarizes and evaluatesthe two countries’ conceptual changes and the reconstruction of their relations.