São Paulo – Brazilian Ambassador Alexandre Parola launched his book Manual de Diplomacia – Conceitos, prática e grande estratégia [Diplomacy Handbook – Concepts, Practice and Grand Strategy] on Thursday (5) at the headquarters of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) in the capital. Brazil’s ambassador to Morocco and a former spokesperson for the Office of the President of Brazil, Parola explores in his book the concepts, challenges and practices of the field in which he works, examining what it means to think diplomatically about international politics.
The book is structured around four main axes.
“I begin with the logic of power: conflict, fear, differences in capabilities, and the conditions under which states coexist and negotiate,” he said, explaining the book’s content to the audience. “I then turn to the dynamics of prosperity, examining how production, trade and economic institutions shape these relations,” Parola also explained.
The third axis is the power of concepts.
“The ideas through which we interpret reality influence the definition of interests, the formulation of objectives and the recognition of what we consider legitimate,” he said.
According to Parola, the three converge on the fourth axis: grand strategy.
“The central challenge of grand strategy is coordinating power, prosperity and the ability to formulate concepts, giving direction to a country’s choices over time.”
The ambassador said the book examines these dimensions, seeks to understand their relationships, and reflects on the possibilities and challenges of articulating them in diplomatic practice. Speaking of the widespread perception that we are living through a period of transformation in the international order, the diplomat questioned what constitutes a rupture, what represents an acceleration of an existing trend, and what, in new forms, reflects persistent issues in international politics.
“One of the uses I hope the book will have is to contribute to this discernment,” he said.
The book grew out of a teaching experience, when Parola prepared an International Politics course to teach at the Rio Branco Institute, an agency of Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responsible for recruiting, selecting, training and furthering the professional development of Brazilian diplomats.
“I decided to organize the course in book form,” Parola told ANBA.
He said he spent last year turning the course material into a book.
A diplomat with four decades of experience, Parola is an economist and holds a PhD in Philosophy. The ambassador has served as Brazil’s Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Representative to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Economic Department and professor at the Rio Branco Institute. He is the author of A ordem injusta (Funag).
Published by Blucher as part of its International Relations series, which aims to provide content on global issues that affect society, Alexandre Parola’s new book went on sale Thursday and can already be purchased on the Blucher website. It is also expected to be available soon on online platforms and at brick-and-mortar bookstores.
The event at the ABCC was opened by the institution’s president, William Adib Dib Jr., who spoke about the special significance of hosting the launch of a book dedicated to diplomacy, given the ABCC’s role in bringing Brazil closer to Arab countries. Noting that Parola is Brazil’s ambassador to Morocco, Dib said Brazil’s trade with Arab countries exceeds USD 30 billion.
“A fundamental aspect of this relationship is that it is based on bonds of friendship that endure over time, strengthened by a diplomatic tradition guided by harmony, dialogue and the continuous search for peaceful solutions to contentious issues or situations,” he said
Dib and Parola’s remarks were followed by a discussion between the ambassador, Ingo Plöger, president of the Brazilian agribusiness group ABAG, and Alberto Pfeifer, coordinator of the International Strategy Analysis Group for Defense, Security and Intelligence (DSI) at the University of São Paulo (USP) and senior policy fellow at Insper Agro. They discussed current issues, including the global context and the roles of countries and regions, democratic standards, multilateralism and Brazil’s future, among other topics. At the end of the event, Parola signed books for attendees.
The event was attended by Brazilian diplomats and government officials, including former Brazilian President Michel Temer. Also representing the ABCC were Vice President for International Relations & Secretary-General Mohamad Orra Mourad, Vice President of Marketing Silvia Antibas, former president and diplomat Osmar Chohfi, and former president Rubens Hannun, as well as staff members. The book launch was supported by the ABCC and ABAG, with academic partnership from DSI, Insper and the Global Agrobusiness Center Agro Global.
Book details
Title: Manual da Diplomacia – Conceitos, prática e grande estratégia
Author: Alexandre Parola
Publisher: Blucher
Pages: 208
ISBN: 9788521232933
Price: BRL 85 (Blucher website)
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
