Historical studies on the relationship between science and diplomacy tend to focus on events since World War II and on initiatives for the maintenance of peace or to achieve cooperation over contentious matters. This article presents the case of José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage (1823–1907), a Portuguese zoologist who had formal diplomatic responsibilities in a context of competition for the colonization of Africa in the nineteenth century. He used his knowledge in African geography to implement colonial and diplomatic strategies that aimed at outcompeting rival powers. The development of a network of actors with scientific, colonial, and diplomatic expertise was crucial for the negotiations that involved the partition of the Congo basin, which resulted in victories for Portugal that surpassed the country's marginal political relevance at the international level and had long‐lasting consequences.

中文翻译：

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强国竞争科学：地理知识、殖民外交网络和非洲争夺战**

关于科学与外交关系的历史研究倾向于关注二战以来的事件以及维护和平或在有争议的问题上实现合作的举措。本文介绍了何塞·维森特·巴博萨·杜博卡奇 (José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage，1823-1907 年) 的案例，他是一位葡萄牙动物学家，在 19 世纪非洲殖民竞争的背景下承担了正式的外交职责。他利用他在非洲地理方面的知识来实施旨在击败敌对势力的殖民和外交战略。具有科学、殖民和外交专业知识的参与者网络的发展对于涉及刚果盆地分割的谈判至关重要，这导致葡萄牙取得了超越该国的胜利。