Applying rational choice and historical institutionalism in the study of national security policies in Brazil (1995-2010)

The study of national security in Brazil remains a quite unexplored research topic in the Brazilian political science and sociology communities, especially in terms of using methods of Rational Choice Institutionalism together with Historical Institutionalism. How rational choice has been embedded in institutional change of the main bureaucracies in national security? Has been the Military - as a legitime political actor during democracy - the main actor behind the institutional change in these bureaucracies in Brazil? And how could one conceptualize (institutional) “change”, taking into account the gradualness of civilian control of the Military in Brazil? Through this paper, we intend to discuss and, perhaps, propose a methodological approach to study national security policies of those countries that have experienced a partial transition to democracy.