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To cite this article: Sandra Bry (2015): The production of soft power: practising solidarity in Brazilian South-South development projects, Canadian Journal of Development Studies / Revue canadienne d'études du développement, ABSTRACT Brazil's development cooperation and solidarity discourse have been portrayed as soft power resources. However, few studies have analysed how Brazil implements development cooperation, and soft power theory itself suffers from a lack of empirical evidence. This article looks at the perceptions of participants in three Brazilian projects, particularly how soft empowerment is manifested through the demand-driven and horizontality approaches to development cooperation. I contend that these approaches have produced a positive image among the "recipients", and I show that their perceptions of development cooperation emphasise the style, rather than the completion, of project activities.RÉSUMÉ La coopération au développement et le discours de solidarité du Brésil ont été caractérisés comme des ressources de la puissance douce ou soft power. Toutefois, peu d'études ont analysé comment le Brésil met en pratique la coopération au développement et la théorie du soft power souffre quant à elle d'un manque de preuves empiriques. Cet article se penche sur les perceptions des participants dans trois projets brésiliens, particulièrement sur la manière dont l'autonomisation douce ou soft empowerment se manifeste à travers les approches de la coopération au développement centrées sur la demande et l'horizontalité. Je soutiens que ces approches sont vues positivement par les « récipiendaires » et je montre que leurs perceptions de la coopération au développement mettent en exergue le modèle du projet plutôt que ses résultats.
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