SOC 2001C: Analyzing Racial Discrimination & Ethnic History in Brazil

This report provides an overview of the history of racial discrimination and ethnic inequality in Brazil, focusing on the experiences of Afro-Brazilians. It highlights key events and circumstances that shaped this history, including the country's involvement in the slave trade and subsequent efforts to abolish slavery. The report analyzes examples of stereotypes and instances of discrimination faced by Afro-Brazilians in employment, education, and other sectors, comparing their participation rates, income levels, and access to opportunities with those of white Brazilians. It also examines the social, political, and economic factors that have contributed to prejudice and discrimination, including the legacy of colonialism, immigration policies, and the concept of 'racial democracy.' The report concludes by discussing potential future scenarios for ethnic integration in Brazil, emphasizing the importance of education, affirmative action, and cultural citizenship in promoting equality and reducing discrimination. Desklib provides access to this report and many other solved assignments for students.

BRAZIL
RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUP HISTORY
NAME
INSTITUTION
COURSE TITLE
SUBMISSION DATE

History of Brazilian
discrimination
• Black movement has been active in Sao Paulo, a region in southern Brazil, since 1930s.
• Brazil was one of the leading traders of Negroes, the African slaves, bringing seven times
more African slaves as compared to the US and was the last country to abolish its 300 years
slavery system (Bailey, Loveman & Muniz, 2013).
• The end of slavery calls in Brazil began in the early 19th century and slave trade was
officially abolished in 1888. But Brazil is still facing racial discrimination in-spite of anti-
discrimination laws on racism.
• High degree of miscegenation (race mixture) in Brazil resulted from high-sex ratio among
the colonial rulers where male Portuguese settlers sought out African mulatto females as
their mates (Da Costa, 2016).
• The racism evidences were demonstrated by disparities between whites, black and brown
Brazilians. Inequalities were in areas of gender, age, culture, citizenship, self-esteem,
livelihood, skin complexion, race and education.

History of Brazilian
discrimination
• European immigration was highly encouraged and African and Chinese
immigrants were blocked. This resulted in more Brazilian population
‘whitening’.
• Racial inequality is quite high in Brazil and labor market racial
discrimination is very common along with and other work spheres
disparity as well. The Non-whites are the main suffering victims of
human rights exploitations in the country (Mitchell, 2010).
• Black social movement in democratized Brazilian society is the
consequences of insufficient anti-racist laws and is the reason why
Caucasian exist in global workplaces.

Events that increased the
discrimination of the Brazilians
• Migration history of Brazil incorporates adversity in slavery,
restrictions, immigration, racist policies and financial strains that
have also troubled the lives of native people as well as
descendants, and the economic crises have led many to emigrate.
• The country is facing new problem with Blackness, as it is in
dilemma on the issue that who are counted as ‘disadvantaged’?
• The ‘color bind’ approach of Brazil is also creating disparity among
the people as everyone is wanting a “white baby’ and this is turning
out to be a communal violence off late (Reis & Crespo, 2015).

Evidence of Brazilian discrimination in
employment and other sectors of development
• The Caucasian approach is well integrated into the workplace culture for Brazilian people as a major
percentage of people are under the glass ceiling of workplace hierarchy (Silva & Reis, 2013).
• Afro-Brazilians (pardos or pretos) and whites (brancos) have different degrees of life
expectancy, years of schooling, literacy, primary school achievement, occupation, and per-capita
income rates.
• Brazilian blacks earn as little as 40 % of whites. In 2012, less than 13% of the Afro-Brazilian
residents over 16 years of age had tertiary education where as it was 28% for the whites (Reis
& Crespo, 2015).
• A wage gap of 25% exists between black and white Brazilians.
• In educational sector also Black afro-Brazilians are facing discrimination and are not getting equal right
to education in top universities.
• The black people are more likely to face unemployment in comparison to the white ones, with same
educational qualification and merit.

Evidence of Brazilian discrimination in
employment and other sectors of development
• Racism is openly practiced in the form of police brutality where the probability of
assault by police officers on men increase subject to skin color and age. It is evident
that young black and brown people are more mugged by Police in comparison to whites.
• In the 2010 census, the ratio of whites, pardos, blacks, and indigenous were roughly
48.8, 43.1, 7.7, and 0.4% respectively (Reis & Crespo, 2015).
• The negro race of black Brazilians have faced more discrimination from their white
Brazilian counterparts in workplaces due to it being a politically charged racial category
(Telles & Paixao, 2013).
• Brazil being a ‘racial democracy’ is facing racial discrimination and this paradox is
difficult to solve. Low level of democracy is the underlying reason of unemployment and
racial discrimination.

Stereotypes about Brazilians
• It is assumed that Brazilians are actually “emotional Brazilians” who react to stereotypes
quickly.
• The Amazon rail forest is a part of the Brazilian’s daily lives.
• Brazilians are either from Rio de Janeiro or from Sao Paulo and the capital of brazil is Rio.
• Brazilians speak Brazilian and soccer is their main game and all are amazing footballers
(Da Costa, 2016).
• Muggings are common in Brazil and the people here are exceptionally dangerous
• Most households are favelas and people are stereotyped to be poverty-stricken and
violent.
• All Brazilians can dance Samba and they are thought to hate Argentinians.

Future of ethnic integration
• Racial diversity in Brazil is turning new pages in every sphere of life. Black
Brazilians are mostly making their opinions heard and are getting affirmative
actions in return, which is a good sign of social integrity .
• In the past 10 years only, the black-white income slit has narrowed down in
the country.
• The heterogeneous and mixed cultural society is widening the prospects of
future research on human genetics and genomics in Brazil (Mitchell, G. L. (2010).
• Brazil’s diversified breeding of white rulers and black slaves gave rise to ethnic
democracy which has helped government in establishing quota system in
education as well as in work areas.

Future of ethnic integration
• Brazilians are least interested in politics and they vote for the political candidates
rather than the canny political parties and this will support racial integration at large.
• Cultural citizenship provides women better societal position and they are gradually
having their self-recognition and are treated as a part of the nation (Telles & Paixao,
2013).
• Racism and democracy need to be strengthened and people should be well aware of
the democratic benefits in their lives. Education will only eradicate discrimination at
large.
• Internationalization of education will provide better scope to the Brazilians where
they can pursue their dream job without facing any racial discrimination from the
society.

Conclusion
• To conclude it can be said that, racial discrimination in a
country like Brazil can only be reduced by the hope of
education and for that institutions need to take right
decisions in student admission that is based on talent and
caliber and not mere skin color.
• The future of ‘black and white’ Brazilians are becoming
grey and subsequent discrimination is decreasing due to
global recognition of the nation.

References
•
• Bailey, S. R., Loveman, M., & Muniz, J. O. (2013). Measures of “Race” and the analysis of racial
inequality in Brazil. Social Science Research, 42(1), 106-119.
• Da Costa, A. E. (2016). Confounding anti-racism: Mixture, racial democracy, and post-racial politics in
Brazil. Critical sociology, 42(4-5), 495-513.
• Mitchell, G. L. (2010). Racism and Brazilian democracy: two sides of the same coin? Ethnic & Racial
Studies, 33(10), 1776–1796. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1080/01419871003739825
• Reis, M. C., & Crespo, A. R. V. (2015). Race discrimination in Brazil: an analysis of the age, period and
cohort effects.
• Silva, G. M. D., & Reis, E. P. (2013). The multiple dimensions of racial mixture in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
from whitening to Brazilian negritude. In Responses to Stigmatization in Comparative Perspective (pp.
30-47). Routledge.
• Telles, E., & Paixao, M. (2013). Affirmative action in Brazil. In Lasa Forum (Vol. 44, No. 2, pp. 10-11).