This book studies relations between Brazil and the USA during the 20th century and outlines some perspectives for the start of the 21st century. Issues related to a wide variety of aspects of the relationship are addressed by bringing together a number of texts by Brazilian and American historians and political scientists. The reader will find studies relating to different historical periods on the economic, political, military, social and cultural relations of these two countries.

Contents: (1) Background; (2) Political Situation: First Lula Admin.; Oct. 2006 Elections; Second Lula Admin.; (3) Econ. and Social Conditions: Econ. Challenges and Efforts to Boost Growth; Social Indicators; (4) Foreign and Trade Policy; (5) Relations with the U.S.; (6) Issues in U.S.-Brazil Relations: Counternarcotics; Counterterrorism and the Tri-Border Area; Energy Security; Oil; Ethanol and Other Biofuels; Nuclear Energy; Trade Issues; Doha Round of the WTO Talks; WTO Disputes; Generalized System of Preferences; Intellectual Property Rights; Human Rights; Race and Discrimination; Trafficking in Persons for Forced Labor; Goldman Custody Case; HIV/AIDS; Amazon Conservation; Domestic Efforts; Carbon Offsets and Other Internat. Initiatives.

In recent years, the spotlight of international attention on Brazil has often been in the area of logistics infrastructure—for example, on its capacity to deal with the high demand expected during the World Cup and the Olympics. However, neither competitiveness nor infrastructure concerns are new for Brazil. In the 1990s, Brazilian policy-makers adopted a series of liberalizing economic reforms that exposed the poor condition of logistics infrastructure and inadequate investment in Brazilian ports, roads, railways and airports. Over twenty years later, the implications of those reforms still colour Brazil’s prospects for development. Mahrukh Doctor’s book evaluates the political economy of reform in Brazil and the difficulty of implementing institutional modernization in the context of opposition from vested interests originating in the state and civil society. It focuses specifically on the Port Modernization Law, which aimed to augment the country's competitiveness by creating efficient and low cost ports. Based on primary research carried out over a period of twenty years using original qualitative data, Doctor’s analysis focuses on the difficulties in implementing this law and how those difficulties are symptomatic of the wider issues associated with lack of sufficient investment in infrastructure in Brazil. Using the case of the business lobby for port reform, the book examines the evolving nature of business-state relations and the process of institutional change in Brazil. Doctor particularly examines the building of consensus for reform and policy formulation in the port sector and the challenges of reform implementation and institutional modernisation. The analysis provides extensive insights and lessons related to the prospects for boosting competitiveness of Brazilian ports. The book concludes by suggesting a likely path for the evolution of corporatist institutions as well as the provision of adequate logistics infrastructure to support business success in Brazil. A unique work on the subject of port reform in Latin America that uses a hybrid analytical framework to understand reform in Brazil, this book is pertinent for a variety of subjects from Latin American Studies to political economy to economic-policy making.

Myths and misconceptions about Brazil, the world's fifth largest and most populous country, are long-standing. Far from a sleeping giant, Brazil is the southern hemisphere's most important country. Entering its second decade of civilian constitutional government after a protracted period of military rule, it has also recently achieved sustained economic growth. Nevertheless, the nation's population of 157 million is divided by huge inequities in income and education, which are largely correlated with race, and crime rates have spiraled as a result of conflicts over land and resources. Ronald Schneider, a close observer of Brazilian society and politics for many decades, provides a comprehensive multidimensional portrait of this, Latin America's most complex country. He begins with an insightful description of its diverse regions and then analyzes the historical processes of Brazil's development from the European encounter in 1500 to independence in 1822, the middle-class revolution in 1930, the military takeover in 1964, and the return to democracy after 1984. Schneider goes on to offer a detailed treatment of contemporary government and politics, including the 1994 elections. His closing chapters analyze the economy and society, and explore Brazil's rich cultural heritage and assess Brazil's place in the international arena.