From north to south, from east to west: change in racial identification in Brazil

Abstract

First, this study updates and reconstructs the analysis carried out by Soares (2008) on the phenomenon of change in racial identification that has been occurring in Brazil since the early 2000s. Second, this analysis is expanded to include research into the existence of regional differences in this process. Results show that increases in the percentage of black population in Brazil, and in all of its five macro-regions were due almost exclusively to the change in the way people see themselves. As for the effect of the change in racial identification on the increase in the number of blacks, it was found that this varies considerably from region to region, being stronger in the South and Southeast major regions. Finally, the paper argues that any intertemporal analysis, starting in the 2000s, involving self-declaration of color or race, is potentially affected by this process of change in racial identification.

Key words
Brazil; Macro-regions; Racial identification