Brazil: Racial democracy

Abstract

The concept of racial democracy has long arisen in multiple debates in Latin America. I choose Brazil as it is considered one of the most multi-diverse countries. It showcases some scholars’ points of view related to the issue in question. If in definition the idea of racial democracy connotes a perfect conviviality of races relations without any form of nonexistent racism and racial prejudice, the reality is far quite different in Brazil. The latter, as the second-largest country of African descent that pretends to be racially equal, is the one that suffers the most from the issue of discrimination, segregation, and racism inherited from colonialism. Such inheritance has affected the life of Afro-Brazilians and created differences that lead to a distinct set of class and color repartition, making the interconnectedness and interaction of Brazilians impossible. This article aims to provide a better understanding of this issue of racial democracy by its definition; the alternative viewpoints developed as to whether it is a myth or a reality; as well as the policy debate the concept has provoked. But none of these will be possible if we do not dive first into the geographical and historical location of Brazil.