For decades now, the earth’s climate has been tampered with as greenhouse gases have been pumped into the atmosphere without any constraints. On top of that, the world is still troubled by immense...Show moreFor decades now, the earth’s climate has been tampered with as greenhouse gases have been pumped into the atmosphere without any constraints. On top of that, the world is still troubled by immense social inequalities, putting the feasibility of realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nation in 2015 in question. The last decade has been a period overshadowed by a variety of crises, from immigration crises to financial crises. This has raised criticism, demanding to reconsider the current development paradigm. The rational of development through economic growth cannot be maintained, particularly due to our planets’ boundaries. We have exhausted our planets limits and are steering towards its tipping point. This paper will look at the Ecuadorian case of Sumak Kawsay, a variant of Buen Vivir which, has been an increasingly popular worldview in the Andean and Amazon region of Latin America. This paper will explore Buen Vivir as an alternative development strategy and critically assess its viability to achieve a set of three distinct UN sustainable development goals. Additionally, the current global political economy will be critically discussed. Thus, this paper can be placed within the wider debate of development studies, seeking alternatives to the current development paradigm.Show less
Since China’s Go Global Policy became operational in 2002, it started many new relations with resource-rich developing countries. This paper has as a goal to build on literature about Chinese...Show moreSince China’s Go Global Policy became operational in 2002, it started many new relations with resource-rich developing countries. This paper has as a goal to build on literature about Chinese foreign policy towards resource-rich developing countries, and whether it may be defined as economic imperialist. The bilateral relationship with Peru is taken as a case study, as the country is endowed with mainly copper. Economic figures and statistics reveal that Peru has economically benefited enormously from increased trade and FDI, in terms of GDP growth and poverty reduction. However, the benefits for Peru are stagnating because the basis for industrialization is not present, and does not get developed through the relationship with China. Increase of economic ties by developing countries with China can be beneficial, but do not improve the long-term prospects for reaching the core in the World-System.Show less
This thesis offers a reflection on Brazilian south-south relations with African lusophones countries, more specifically Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe and Guinea Bissau. It looks for the...Show moreThis thesis offers a reflection on Brazilian south-south relations with African lusophones countries, more specifically Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe and Guinea Bissau. It looks for the theoretical frame in which these relations are enshrined. The reflection is built around the notion institutional liberalism.Show less
This paper has primarily attempted to determine whether neoliberal economic policy is making a return to Brazil, and secondarily what the most likely explanation for this could be. The elections of...Show moreThis paper has primarily attempted to determine whether neoliberal economic policy is making a return to Brazil, and secondarily what the most likely explanation for this could be. The elections of October 2018 provided the context to perform an analysis on this subject: the two candidates competing in the second round of elections, Jair Bolsonaro and Fernando Haddad and their visions on economic policy for Brazil have been analyzed through the method of content analysis. The programas de governo or governing programs of both candidates has served as the main subject of the study. Additionally articles in journals and interviews have been taken into consideration. Neoliberal economic policy in this paper is defined as a specific set of economic policies associated with the Washington Consensus. Although the Washington Consensus contains a total of ten advised economic reforms, the analysis in this paper will focus on specifically three, namely privatization, trade liberalization and austerity. This will be followed by a demonstration of a ‘retreat’ of neoliberal economic policy worldwide at the hand of the trade policies of the Trump administration in the United States and the change of direction made by International Financial Institutions. Thirdly, the political situation of the last years in Brazil will be described in order to provide the reader with the necessary context for the analysis. Fourthly, the turn to neoliberal economic policy under the current Temer administration will be demonstrated to establish that neoliberalism has returned to Brazil, albeit in the form of a government with near to no public support: favorable views of the (neoliberal) reforms among the candidates under study would be a strong indication a continuation of this policy under a new president is likely. This has been researched through the programas de governo, articles and interviews. Lastly, two possible explanations have been considered. The paper will conclude that it is indeed likely that Brazil, now with a candidate enjoying significant public support, will continue on the path of neoliberal economic policy. This return to neoliberal economic policy will be concluded to be due to a form of crisis management in Brazil.Show less
