How To Eliminate Racism In Brazil

Metraux rooted his vision in the understanding of racial relations in Brazil however he does show in his paper that studies in other regions about attitudes towards race could lend toward understanding why racism exists. In order to first test out his theoretical plan on eliminating racism in society Metraux, with the backing of UNESCO, launched his research project in Brazil. UNESCO’s original plan was to study how and why Brazil was so accepting and inclusive of different races and to then spread this knowledge to other countries that were divided by problems created by racial differences. This plan eroded as research continued and Brazil’s image as a “racial democracy” started to be questioned. The context of where this research was being conducted was extremely important to the vision as the type of racial relations seen in Brazil were needed to show that
The elites of Brazil believed that their society was a “racial democracy”, mostly in part due to being compared to the United Stated. In comparison to the United States, which had lynch mobs and legal segregation of minorities, Brazil with its acceptance of African cultures seemed progressive. Whereas the United States legally incorporated racism into their society, Brazil’s form of racism appeared as subtly woven into the social relations and mechanisms of the country. Instead of minorities being dictated by law to be at a social and economic disadvantage, the social, cultural, and political environment of Brazil forced minorities to regulate themselves to reside in the “appropriate place” socially, geographically, and economically. This informal segregation continued to be perpetuated due to the “etiquette” of Brazil’s racial relations – one did not discuss the racial situation with others, especially not in a controversial