Pigmentocracies--the fruit of the multiyear Project on
Ethnicity and Race in Latin America (PERLA)--is a richly revealing
analysis of contemporary attitudes toward ethnicity and race in
Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, four of Latin America's most
populous nations. Based on extensive, original sociological and
anthropological data generated by PERLA, this landmark study
analyzes ethnoracial classification, inequality, and
discrimination, as well as public opinion about Afro-descended and
indigenous social movements and policies that foster greater social
inclusiveness, all set within an ethnoracial history of each
country. A once-in-a-generation examination of contemporary
ethnicity, this book promises to contribute in significant ways to
policymaking and public opinion in Latin America.
Edward Telles, PERLA's principal investigator, explains that
profound historical and political forces, including
multiculturalism, have helped to shape the formation of ethnic
identities and the nature of social relations within and across
nations. One of
Pigmentocracies's many important conclusions
is that unequal social and economic status is at least as much a
function of skin color as of ethnoracial identification.
Investigators also found high rates of discrimination by color and
ethnicity widely reported by both targets
and witnesses.
Still, substantial support across countries was found for
multicultural-affirmative policies--a notable result given that in
much of modern Latin America race and ethnicity have been
downplayed or ignored as key factors despite their importance for
earlier nation-building.