Multiracial versus Collective Black Categories: Examining Census Classification Debates in Brazil |
Multiracial versus Collective Black Categories: Examining Census Classification Debates in Brazil
Ethnicities
Volume 6, Number 1 (2006)
pages 74-101
DOI: 10.1177/1468796806061080
Stanley R. Bailey, Associate Professor of Sociology
University of California, Irvine
Edward E. Telles, Professor of Sociology
Princeton University
Current census debates in Brazil surrounding Brazilian race categories center on two contrasting proposals: the adoption of the multiracial moreno term vs. the use of the collective black classification negro. Those proposing the former base their argument on the right to self-classify according to one’s own sense of identity. Proponents of the negro category contend that it would be most efficient for redressing racial discrimination. We examine the meaning and saliency of these categories and explore the possible consequences of their adoption. Using national survey data, we demonstrate how education, age, color, sex and local racial composition structure the choices of moreno and negro over official census terms. Findings include a negative correlation between education and the choice of moreno, while the opposite is true for negro. In addition, an age effect on both categories suggests a popular shift in racial labeling away from official census terms. We note that similar issues structure current census debates in the USA.
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Tags: Edward E. Telles, Edward Telles, Ethnicities, Stanley Bailey, Stanley R. Bailey