Multiracial versus Collective Black Categories

Stanley R. Bailey (1) , Edward E. Telles (1)

1 University of California

Current census debates in Brazil surrounding Brazilian race categories center on two contrasting proposals: the adoption of the multiracial term vs. the use of the collective black classification . Those proposing the former base their argument on the right to self-classify according to one's own sense of identity. Proponents of the 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 and over official census terms. Findings include a negative correlation between education and the choice of , while the opposite is true for . 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.

Mots clés: census categories; multiracial; racial identities; racism

Stanley R. Bailey, Edward E. Telles. Multiracial versus Collective Black Categories. Ethnicities, 2006, 6 (1), pp.74-101. ⟨10.1177/1468796806061080⟩. ⟨hal-00571855⟩