Negras in Brazil: Re-envisioning Black Women, Citizenship, and the Politics of Identity

by Kia Lilly Caldwell

For most of the twentieth century, Brazil was widely regarded as a "racial democracy"-a country untainted by the scourge of racism and prejudice. In recent decades, however, this image has been severely critiqued, with a growing number of studies highlighting persistent and deep-seated patterns of racial discrimination and inequality. Yet, recent work on race and racism has rarely considered gender as part of its analysis.

In Negras in Brazil , Kia Lilly Caldwell examines the life experiences of Afro-Brazilian women whose stories have until now been largely untold. This pathbreaking study analyzes the links between race and gender and broader processes of social, economic, and political exclusion. Drawing on ethnographic research with social movement organizations and thirty-five life history interviews, Caldwell explores the everyday struggles Afro-Brazilian women face in their efforts to achieve equal rights and full citizenship. She also shows how the black women's movement, which has emerged in recent decades, has sought to challenge racial and gender discrimination in Brazil. While proposing a broader view of citizenship that includes domains such as popular culture and the body, Negras in Brazil highlights the continuing relevance of identity politics for members of racially marginalized communities. Providing new insights into black women's social activism and a gendered perspective on Brazilian racial dynamics, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of Latin American Studies, African diaspora studies, women's studies, politics, and cultural anthropology.

Genres: Brazil

252 pages, Paperback

First published December 4, 2006

Reviews

[Arlene Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very insightful on the struggles and development of racial identity and politics in Brazil, however it has become outdated

[thinker bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Racism and classism and how it has embedded itself so deeply in a culture that continues to impact mainly Afro Brazilians in all aspects of society is concerning bc the culture has been used and commodified by the rest of the world (carnaval, capoeira, music, etc) as a shield so that this country's elite can shield the rest of the world from the racist truth. I've even heard people from the US say how "exotic" Brazil is, but what is sad is the "exoticizing" is not a compliment for many Brazilians, rather it is another form of objectification of Afro Brazilians all together.