Brazilian Politics: Leadership, Mobilisation & Democratic Forms

Abstract

This panel examines contemporary Brazilian politics through the lenses of leadership, mobilisation, and evolving democratic forms. The papers explore how political actors, organisations, and imaginaries shape democratic practice in contexts of polarisation and institutional change. Several contributions focus on leadership and representation, analysing Brazil’s international rebranding from Bolsonaro to Lula and offering a psychoanalytic interpretation of Jair Bolsonaro’s electoral appeal. Other papers examine the organisational and participatory dimensions of Brazilian democracy, including the population ecology of interest groups and the role of council democracy as a repertoire of democratic radicalisation, placed in comparative perspective with Venezuela. Together, the papers highlight the diversity of democratic expressions in Brazil, from formal institutions to symbolic and participatory arenas. By combining analyses of leadership discourse, collective organisation, and alternative democratic practices, the panel sheds light on the tensions and transformations shaping Brazilian democracy in the aftermath of profound political and social upheaval.

Title	Details
From Bolsonaro to Lula: Rebranding Brazil’s International Image	View Paper Details
The Population Ecology of Brazilian Interest Groups	View Paper Details
Council Democracy as a Repertoire of Democratic Radicalization: Brazil and Venezuela in Comparative Perspective	View Paper Details
Between Desire and Fantasy: A Lacanian Approach to Jair Bolsonaro's Electoral Victory in Brazil	View Paper Details