The Color of Inequity: Perceptions of Discrimination in Latin America

Abstract

Contemporary discussions around race have engaged in the question of what discrimination looks like under purportedly colorblind, racially egalitarian societies. Latin America is one of the most unequal regions in the world and much of this inequality is stratified along the lines of race/ethnicity and skin color, despite long standing mestizaje ideologies that asserted Latin American societies were largely colorblind, class-based societies free of racism. As the U.S. and other societies attempt to usher in “post-racial” colorblind eras, comparisons with Latin American countries that have long purported to have achieved this status will be illustrative of the continuing challenges that lay ahead. Using survey data from the Project on Race and Ethnicity in Latin America based at Princeton University (PERLA) and the 2010 Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP), this dissertation reveals that: 1) skin color is a more salient source of individuals’ perceptions of discriminatory treatment than suggested by previous work, 2) color-based discrimination is subordinate, although deeply intertwined, with class-discrimination and class status, 3) the significance of skin color on perceptions of discriminatory treatment depends on one’s socioeconomic status and gender, with darker skin men of higher socioeconomic status perceiving their skin color to be more consequential than other groups, and 4) witnessing color-based discrimination is a stronger predictor of worse self-rated health than personally experiencing color-based discrimination. These findings speak to ongoing debates about the meaning of skin color in Latin America and the role of skin color as a fundamental stratifier in the region. Moreover, the detailed examination of color-based discrimination from multiple dimensions and through an intersectional lens contributes to the broader body of work, historically based in the U.S., on the importance of everyday, interpersonal discrimination. This research thus contributes to our understanding of the systemic reproduction of structural inequalities in the absence of overt discriminatory practices and its overall implications for well-being.