Public opinion and emerging powers: perceptions of the assertive diplomacies of South Africa, Brazil, and Turkey in national and regional surveys

Opinião pública e potências emergentes: percepções das diplomacias assertivas da África do Sul, Brasil e Turquia em surveys nacionais e regionais

Opinión pública y potencias emergentes: percepciones de las diplomacias asertivas de Sudáfrica, Brasil y Turquía en encuestas nacionales y regionales

Opinion publique et puissances émergentes : perceptions des diplomaties assertives par l’Afrique du Sud, le Brésil et la Turquie dans les enquêtes nationales et régionales

This article investigates whether there is evidence of a “rise and fall” of emerging powers over the past 20 years in the eyes of public opinion. We compared several national and regional surveys on the foreign policies of South Africa, Brazil, and Turkey in search of signs of endorsement or disapproval of the more assertive foreign policies exercised by these countries. The results suggest a pronounced rise and decline for Ankara and some decline for Brasília; however, the results are inconclusive for Pretoria. The present work seeks to contribute to the debate on status and regional leadership by adding a public opinion and comparative regionalism perspective, in addition to offering a convenient summary of diplomatic surveys for countries of the Global South.

emerging powers; South Africa; Brazil; Turkey; public opinion; regional leadership