<i>Navigating turf wars: disruptions in the politics of bureaucracy in Brazil</i>

Turf wars occurring within and between government agencies can lead to conflicts and power struggles as they involve competition for resources, authority, and influence. This study aims to deepen our understanding of intra-bureaucratic disputes within the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) (1985-onwards). The research problem is: how do turf wars impact intra-bureaucratic dynamics? We assert that the MFA is not a cohesive entity but rather a site of ongoing disputes. Employing a narrative politics framework and thematic content analysis, we scrutinized a qualitative dataset comprising interviews, memoirs, book chapters, testimonies, and statements to explore these disputes. Through a strategy of revealing cases, we strategically selected instances to elucidate the theoretical foundations presented. The results suggest that the rotation of roles and disputes are focused on the establishment of relationships among diplomats over the course of their careers. Moreover, shifts in the political landscape give rise to novel dynamics in functional mobility.

Keywords:
bureaucracy; presidents; turf wars; appointments

Universidade de Brasília. Instituto de Ciência Política Instituto de Ciência Política, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro - Gleba A Asa Norte, 70904-970 Brasília - DF Brasil, Tel.: (55 61) 3107-0777 , Cel.: (55 61) 3107 0780 - Brasília - DF - Brazil
E-mail: rbcp@unb.br

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[TFN1] Source: the author.

Code categories	Description	Codes	Justification
01. Relationships	As turf wars involve opposition between distinct groups, it is necessary to investigate the mechanisms of relationship (groups formation) within the Ministry.	01.1. Genealogy	“Within the Brazilian diplomatic corps, two orders of kinship can be identified: (i) “*real kinship,” which is linked to the private, domestic sphere, and (ii) “symbolic kinship,” which stems from the hierarchy and organizational structure” (Moura, 2006*MOURA, Cristina Patriota de. O inglês, o parentesco e o elitismo na Casa de Rio Branco. Cena Internacional. a. 8, n. 1, p. 20-34, 2006., p. 12).
01. Relationships		01.2. Institutional	“Within the Brazilian diplomatic corps, two orders of kinship can be identified: (i) “real kinship,” which is linked to the private, domestic sphere, and (ii) “*symbolic kinship,” which stems from the hierarchy and organizational structure” (Moura, 2006*MOURA, Cristina Patriota de. O inglês, o parentesco e o elitismo na Casa de Rio Branco. Cena Internacional. a. 8, n. 1, p. 20-34, 2006., p. 12).
01. Relationships		01.3. Marriage	The argument about the elitism of Itamaraty often overlooks the fact that many of the bonds, esprit de corps, and even *matrimonial alliances* within the Brazilian diplomatic corps are formed after individuals have entered the diplomatic career, as Moura (2006, p. 29)MOURA, Cristina Patriota de. O inglês, o parentesco e o elitismo na Casa de Rio Branco. Cena Internacional. a. 8, n. 1, p. 20-34, 2006. has pointed out.
01. Relationships		01.5. Friendships	“But then, the DA at Itamaraty at the time which was headed by a fellow editor of mine who was officially a *good friend of mine”* (Oliveira, 2016OLIVEIRA, Amaury Banhos Porto de. Depoimento de Amaury Banhos Porto de Oliveira em 4 dez. 2014. Rio de Janeiro: CPDOC/Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV), 2016. 41p. [3h 1min]., p. 9)
01. Relationships		01.6. Power of Relations	Given the diversity in the types of relationships, it is valuable to examine the evidence of the *roles played by these relationships* in turf wars.
02. Resources	In the context of disputes, it is necessary to examine the evidence regarding the *availability of resources* and the methods of their distribution.	02.1. Promotion	“The lives of most diplomats are typically focused on two things: *promotions and removals* , with the former being preferred as quickly as possible, and the latter as smoothly as possible” (Almeida, 2018ALMEIDA, Paulo Roberto de. Você é um “accident prone diplomat”. In: BARBOSA, Rubens Antônio. Um diplomata a serviço do Estado: na defesa do interesse nacional. Brasília: FGV, 2 out. 2018. p. 273-289.).
02. Resources		02.2. Appointments	“It is also natural for ministers to seek people they trust for more *sensitive positions* , without resorting to arbitrariness or truculence” (Amorim, apudSchreiber, 2017SCHREIBER, Mariana. Para diplomatas, estrutura do Itamaraty abre caminho para arbitrariedade e perseguição política. BBC News Brasil, 17 out. 2017. [on-line]. Available at: Available at: https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/brasil-41590574 Accessed on: 21 set. 2022. https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/brasil-41... , emphasis added).
03. Signaling	A signal is an observable attribute that conveys information about an individual (*Connelly, et al, 2011*CONNELLY, B. L.; CERTO, S. T.; IRELAND, R. D.; REUTZEL, C. R. Signaling theory: a review and assessment. Journal of Management, v. 37, n. 1, p. 39-67, 2011.).	03.1. Reputation	Taking into account the significance of *group leaders,* it is essential to investigate the evidence of the signaling performance of these roles.
03. Signaling		03.2. Mediation	Taking into account the significance of the *mediating role of presidents*, it is essential to investigate the evidence on the signaling performance of these roles.

Brasil

Brasil

Navigating turf wars: disruptions in the politics of bureaucracy in Brazil 1 1 Acknowledgements: the author thanks Thales Carvalho, Yulieth Martinez and the two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments.

Navegando em guerras de território: perturbações na política da burocracia

Guerras territoriales: perturbaciones en la política burocrática

Abstract:

Navigating turf wars: disruptions in the politics of bureaucracy in Brazil ¹ 1 Acknowledgements: the author thanks Thales Carvalho, Yulieth Martinez and the two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments.