Borges, Luís; Mazoni, Alysson
This paper examines the relative importance of cognitive proximity and geographical distance in shaping scientific collaboration, using Brazil as a large-scale empirical case in the Global South. Based on OpenAlex data (2010–2024), we estimate a gravity model showing that, although geographical distance negatively affects collaboration, cognitive proximity is a stronger predictor of scientific interaction. To complement this analysis, we examine the structure of international collaboration among the 23 countries with the highest number of publications. The results reveal persistent hierarchical patterns, with intermediation concentrated in a few dominant hubs. While countries such as Brazil have expanded their scientific output and international collaboration, their brokerage capacity remains limited. These findings suggest a pattern of 'concentrated deconcentration', in which increasing cognitive alignment facilitates collaboration over longer distances and scientific production becomes more geographically distributed, while brokerage capacity and structural influence remain concentrated in a limited set of countries.