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question about racism in countries other than the united states... (pg. 7)
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| Lira |
Racism in Brazil
1. Races in Brazil
2. Racism in Brazil
3. Foreigners in Brazil
1. Races in Brazil
One of our greates comediants - although he's dark skinned, he's got green eyes. He's considered black nonetheless. | 
Our president: His face shows both European and African features. He's considered white. |
Here's a quote from Wikipedia, that would give an insight in the concept of "race" in the country
| quote: | Race in Brazil
Compared to 19th century United States, 20th century Brazil was characterized by a relative absence of sharply defined racial groups. This pattern reflects a different history and different social relations. Basically, race in Brazil was biologized, but in a way that recognized the difference between ancestry (which determines genotype) and phenotypic differences. There, racial identity was not governed by a rigid descent rule. A Brazilian child was never automatically identified with the racial type of one or both parents, nor were there only two categories to chose from. Over a dozen racial categories would be recognized in conformity with the combinations of hair color, hair texture, eye color, and skin color. These types grade into each other like the colors of the spectrum and no one category stands significantly isolated from the rest. That is, race referred to appearance, not heredity.
One of the most striking consequences of the Brazilian system of racial identification was that parents and children and even brothers and sisters were frequently accepted as representatives of opposite racial types. In a fishing village in the state of Bahia an investigator showed 100 people pictures of three sisters and were asked to identify the races of each. In only six responses were the sisters identified by the same racial term. Fourteen responses used a different term for each sister. In another experiment nine portraits were shown to a hundred people. Forty different racial types were elicited. It was found, in addition, that a given Brazilian might be called by as many as thirteen different terms by other members of the community. These terms are spread out across practically the entire spectrum of theoretical racial types. A further consequence of the absence of a descent rule was that Brazilians apparently not only disagreed about the racial identity of specific individuals, but they also seemed to be in disagreement about the abstract meaning of the racial terms as defined by words and phrases. For example, 40% of a sample ranked moreno claro as a lighter type than mulato claro, while 60% reversed this order. A further note of confusion is that one person might employ different racial terms for another person over a short time. The use of term varies with the personal relationship and mood. The Brazilian census admits one's race by the title the person gives to her or himself, and as a consequence hundreds of races appeared in the research, varying from blue (which is blacker than usual black) and green (which is whiter than usual white).
Consequently, people change their racial identity over their lifetimes. This is not the same as "passing" in the USA. It does not require secrecy and the agonizing withdrawal from friends and family that are necessary in the United States and among Indians of highland Latin America. In Brazil passing from one race to another occurs with changes in education and economic status. A light skinned person of low status is considered darker than a dark skinned person of high status.
So, although the identification of a person by race is far more fluid and flexible in Brazil than in the USA, there still are racial stereotypes and prejudices. African features were considered less desirable; blacks were considered inferior, and whites superior. These white supremacist values are an obvious legacy of European colonization and the slave-based plantation system. The complexity of racial classifications in Brazil is reflective of the extent of miscegenation in Brazilian society, which remains, highly, but not strictly, stratified along color lines. |
So, in Brazil, quite differently than most other places, there are no actual "ethnicities". Although we (are supposed to) have the 2nd largest Black community in the world, dividing the groups is as tough as extracting the ingredients of a cake. I'm not sure how they calculated it but the average white Brazilian usually has 35% of African genetic heritage, whereas the average black Brazilian usually has 45% of European genetic heritage. If you think that's complicated, both white and black Brazilians have about 15% of Native Brazilian heritage... this is clearly shown in our culture, where we have European traditions with heavy African influences (such as carnival) and vice-versa (Candomblé and other African religions that became "Christianised"). Most Native Brazilians were "absorbed" by the other groups or slaughtered by the European. Asian immigrants just got here 100 years ago, and slowly seem to be absorbed (although there's some prejudice as they "don't look Brazilian"... ironically, some people believe the tanned ones are actually Native Brazilians :p).
I'm myself of Afro-Euro-Native Brazilian heritage, and I'm considered white in our society (ironically enough, my father was "black" till his 30's... he's "white" now :p).
Racism in Brazil
Here lies the irony - an individual of both European and African heritage might discriminate another individual of both European and African heritage simply because he shows more traces of one of the groups (i.e. someone who looks white might discriminate someone who looks black). A rational explanation is that, after the slavery, most white people were wealthy, but we can't say the same think about those whose parents were brought from Africa. Result: the social and racial exclusion merged. "Looking black" meant "looking poor". To make things worse, this racism is "hidden", as we always believed ourselves to be a racial democracy when we're clearly not. In fact, the Brazilian nazis accepted Black people as part of their party, for example :p This new stance towards racism is quite recent (20 years old at most), so we don't have much experience dealing with this issue.
Foreigners in Brazil
Someone whose parents are foreigners wouldn't be consider a foreigner. In fact, no one would ever guess. It's such a mess here that everybody looks Brazilian to us (which is quite contradictory with the belief I mentioned before that "Japs don't look Brazilian" - they're just easier to spot because of the low inter-breeding among them and other groups so far). I mean, except Argentinians... they sport tacky mullets. As for the foreigners themselves, most problems lies on lack of communication because of the language barrier and the distinct fashion sense of some visitors. Probably a foreigner would be able to tell more about it. Argentinians don't count, they lie.
Americans might have minor problems because of the recent international policy of their government. And Argentinians because... they're Argentinians :D
(I'd continue, but I gotta go now)
| quote: | Originally posted by Slylee
why is it that the majority of soldiers who died in war were black?
because when everyone yelled, "GET DOWN!!!" all the black people jumped up and started dancing:p |
:stongue: :stongue: :stongue: |
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| th0m |
| quote: | Originally posted by h@x0r
Seems like Canada is pretty high up on the list of racist/prejudice countries. Though it seems that the champ of racism is actually the Netherlands... Go figure - the Clogs are not as friendly as they'd have you believe. :disbelief |
Who said we were friendly in the first place :wtf:
But more seriously, there's no way measuring racism, so calling us champs isn't really substantial.
However, I wont deny the fact that there are quite some people in holland that could be labelled 'racist'. But here's the thing. Isnt racism just a form of expression? I know this may sound a bit weird, but a couple of months ago a dutch filmmaker was assasinated by a non-native dutch citizen, the motive being the opinions the filmmaker had about muslims and their beliefs. Two and a half years ago a dutch politician was assasinated - this time by a native dutch citizen - for expressing opinions such as 'This country is full', and 'The Islam is a stupid religion'. At that time that politician was gaining a lot of popularity, and the political party he created after parting with his former party actually still exists, although it isn't what it used to be when he was the leader.
May be getting a bit off track here, but what I'm saying is that the line between racism and other not so harmful things and beliefs may be thinner over here (we seem to have a reputation of being open-minded and being able to speak freely, well this is some of the stuff that results from that, in a way) than it is somewhere else. And some people will take things too personal, at times.
Obviously this only accounts to a part of the entire meaning of racism, when it comes to jobs and things like that, I know that foreigners (from non-western countries) have a harder time getting jobs and such, even when they are qualified. |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by Floorfiller
i guess it would make sense for european countries to have higher populations of a lot of different ethnic groups as compared to the us. i mean we have our fair share, but mostly it's white, black, asian, and hispanic...you guys get a lot of other large groups as well... |
how do you tell the difference between a "dark-haired dark-eyed white" and a "hispanic"? :conf: |
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| Floorfiller |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
how do you tell the difference between a "dark-haired dark-eyed white" and a "hispanic"? :conf: |
if their sister has a mustache then he's hispanic :conf: :p
but in all seriousness...i think for the most part it is pretty obvious. coming from Los Angeles...i think i can usually tell the difference...
hispanics tend to usually have a shade darker skin...but that's not always the case...sometimes it's tricky to tell the difference you're right... |
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| Floorfiller |
| quote: | Originally posted by Zombie0915
depnends on where that french person goes.
in general though, the attitude towards the french here is more of a feeling of a superiority than it is a true hatred, ppl like to think french people (and canadians too sometimes) are wussies.
I havent had any trouble from people hearing my name, only reaction really has been from other french ppl who go "OMG are you french?"
I think maybe im like 1/128th french or something, we kinda broke off from the french when the first of us came in in like 1669 or some crazy way back year. I found stuff in my attic written about it.
it turns out that LaRue is the french word for avenue, maybe i descended from some street people hehe |
in all actuality i think people from say england, australia, france etc are for the most part treated fantastic in the US. probably the only stereo type we have about the french is that their rude...which i think is just a misunderstanding of french culture...but anyway...as long as people are nice to others in the US...i don't think they'd be privy to any racism at all...
and they'd take all our ladies with their stupid accents :mad: :p |
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| Camwin |
I New Zealand we have a treaty, for the soveriegn and the maori. Maori own a certain amount of land and visa versa with some other stuff too. this was signed back in the 1880's (i think, can't rememebr too much bout Social Studies) years later white ppl have some of the maori land. They are getting pissed off and want it back. ie. there is land that stretches along a beach and a bit out to sea that belongs to a maori tribe, it's not to be used by the public. The government disagree and say it's for everyone to use, for swimming and fishing etc. Maori ppl gathered together and started a huge march through NZ, debating that the 'white ppl stole our land, the treaty says it's ours'. This issue still hasn't been resolved and don't know what the is going on.
We have a lot of indian, asia etc ppl in our country. The indians own most of the Dairy's (Corner shops) in NZ and a lot of Asian's own Fish & Chip shops. i heard my Nan talking bout this and because she is Maori she thinks the maori should own them, no logical explanation she just thought that. |
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| brianstomer |
| As far India is concern its really cool out here.. people do not bother on these issues. i guess this is not an issue in most of the countries in Asia.. Love Live and Let Live. |
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| Geoff |
| asians make rice :haha: |
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| Camwin |
| quote: | Originally posted by Geoff
asians make rice :haha: |
Flied Lice! |
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| th0m |
| quote: | Originally posted by Camwin
Flied Lice! |
eww |
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| Floorfiller |
| quote: | Originally posted by brianstomer
As far India is concern its really cool out here.. people do not bother on these issues. i guess this is not an issue in most of the countries in Asia.. Love Live and Let Live. |
except no one outside of india can be hindu... |
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| brianstomer |
| quote: | Originally posted by Floorfiller
except no one outside of india can be hindu... |
thats really funny.. you are on the wrong track..... hehe not your fault. |
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