Color discrimination, occupational prestige, and skin color in Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACTExisting literature pertaining to discrimination in Brazil often uses education and income as measures of class, but seldom includes occupational prestige. However, occupation, an aspect of daily life and a socioeconomic indicator, may explain a large amount of variation in acknowledgement of skin color discrimination among blacks and browns in Brazil. In this study, we examine whether those in different occupations acknowledge skin color discrimination differently. Based on existing literature, the expectation was that individuals in high status occupations would be more likely to acknowledge skin color discrimination. However, to the contrary, our analysis of the 2010 Latin American Political Opinion Project survey, in which we utilize an ordered logistic regression model with controls for education, expected labor market experience, gender, household income, skin color, location, and province, reveals blacks and browns in less prestigious occupations are more likely to report experiencing color discrimination, particularly among men. This study offers new insights about perceptions of color discrimination in Brazil by challenging the traditional idea that high status blacks and browns are more aware of color discrimination than those of lower status. Also, these findings are important to research on race and ethnicity generally, bridging studies in sociology, Latin American studies, and African diaspora studies.