Study Trip Enriches Knowledge of Brazil’s Public Opinion Landscape
In March 2025, 16 Johns Hopkins SAIS students in a capstone course—Public Diplomacy, the U.S., and Public Opinion—travelled to Brazil to deepen their knowledge of the country and better understand how public opinion research can be applied to formulate foreign policy.
Taught by Clifford Young, president of Ipsos Public Affairs in the United States and former managing director of Ipsos Public Affairs in Brazil, this year’s focus was to develop a greater understanding of the Brazilian public opinion landscape as it relates to corruption and its correlates.
During the trip, the students visited the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Salvador da Bahia, and Sao Paulo, enriching their knowledge of Latin America’s largest economy and its diverse cultural heritage. Students met with stakeholders from the public sector, including Giovanna Victer, secretary of finance at the Salvador municipality, and Bruno Reis, special advisor to the president of BNDES (the Brazilian Development Bank). They also met with Theresa Williams, director of Catalytic Communities, and Bruno Brandão, executive director of Transparency International Brazil, where they gained insights into the anti-corruption efforts and social aspects of today’s Brazil.
Students also deepened their grasp of public opinion through conversations with several journalists from major media outlets in the country: Malu Gaspar, at O Globo; Flavio Ferreira, at Grupo Folha; and Lourival Sant'Anna, international affairs analyst at CNN.
“The study trip was the perfect closure for a great public diplomacy class,” said Shannon Courtney, a second-year student in the Master of Arts in International Relations degree program. “Corruption is a key challenge for countries like Brazil trying to improve economic inequality, and we learned a lot about prevention and prosecution. Brazil’s standing as a leader in Latin America and a key partner to global powers makes it the more relevant to study today. Knowing Brazil contributes greatly to understanding the region’s challenges.”
This project-based course requires students to work collaboratively on trip planning and client management. Students will present their findings and recommendations through written briefs and oral presentations at the end of the semester, mirroring the roles and responsibilities they will take on as professionals in international relations.
“Getting to know Brazil was an incredible opportunity,” said second-year MAIR student Demian Gonzalez Chmielewski. “But I learned as much from my classmates. We all came from different backgrounds and sharing the trip with them was amazing.”
John Patrick Thomas, a student in the Master of International Public Policy program stated: “I won’t soon forget the friendships we’ve forged in Brazil, the real-life work experience gained, and the joy of playing pickup futsal with Brazilians in São Paulo. My favorite course yet!”
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