ABSTRACT
The Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) studies started from country-specific studies, which have so far remained important components of the studies in this area. The evolution of the levels of the BRICS studies can be divided into: physical level, institutional level and idea level, if seen from the perspective of transverse section or a static state. The inclusion of South Africa makes the BRICS a cooperative mechanism that is more representative of the emerging markets and developing economies. The rise of the BRICS will unavoidably change the global balance of power in various fields. The BRICS studies mainly involve disciplines: development economics, international/world economics, and international relations. In the meantime, the development and cooperation of BRICS has also encountered some new problems and challenges. The ongoing economic slowdown has underscored the necessity and importance of deepened cooperation among the BRICS countries, especially in the fields of global governance and mutual pragmatic cooperation.
