Connections between Brazil and the Middle East have a long history, but the importance of these interactions has been heightened in recent years by the rise of Brazil as a champion of the global south, mass mobilizations in the Arab world and South America, and the cultural renaissance of Afro-descendant Muslims and Arab ethnic identities in the Americas. This groundbreaking collection traces the links between these two regions, describes the emergence of new South-South solidarities, and offers new methodologies for the study of transnationalism, global culture, and international relations.
With its new political and cultural affiliations with the Middle East and the renewed visibility of the country's millions of practicing Muslims and those with Middle Eastern roots, Brazil may offer useful lessons for countries transformed by the "Arab Spring." This collection reveals the historical links between these two world regions.