From Ambiguity to Affirmation: Challenging Census Race Categories in Brazil
نویسندگان
چکیده
The examination of racial classification in Brazil reveals the popularity of the ambiguous moreno and the affirmative negro terms, both non-census terms. Using national survey data, we examine propensities to classify under either of these terms and how educational level, age, sex and local racial composition structure their choice. We find, for example, that low education is positively correlated with the choice of moreno, while the opposite is true for the negro term. This effect challenges the traditional “whitening thesis” that predicts a positive relationship between high status and lighter categories. Furthermore, age is negatively correlated with the choice of negro. Overall, our findings reveal the importance of these non-official categories and the possibility of changing racial dynamics in Brazil, from racial ambiguity to racial affirmation.
منابع مشابه
Self vs. Social Classifications of Race: Inconsistency, Category Ambiguity and Affirmation in Brazil
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