The development, security, and defence nexus in Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT The relationship between security and development has been a longstanding issue in Brazil. Far before Western literature raised the topic in development circles, Brazilian elites had already viewed security and development as intertwined concepts, placing the military as a key agent in providing several public policies over the 20th century. Even after a 21-year-long military authoritarian regime, this view continues to affect a myriad of dimensions of social and political life—such as civil-military relations, foreign policy, peacekeeping operations, internal security, and social policy. Thus, the goal of this Special Issue is to discuss the formation and effects of the Brazilian version of the security-development nexus. Articles will tackle the following questions: (1) How do the range and scope of security and defence concepts and military missions affect development policies and vice-versa? (2) How do military missions supporting national development and internal security affect the security sector and civil-military relations? (3) How does the military in Brazil translate this mentality of the security-development nexus into international relations? (4) What insights does the case of Brazil offer to the literature on the security-development nexus? By analysing the Brazilian experience, we hope to contribute to advance knowledge on the security-development nexus and reflect on the long-term effects of placing the military at the centre of public policies.