Question

BRAZIL'S NEW ERA OF RACIAL POLICY

A final reason for reexamining Brazilian race relations is to discuss them in the context of the sudden and dramatic changes in Brazilian race thinking. This new phase is reflected mostly in the new acknowledgement of racism and government attempts to redress it. The issue of race in Brazil has moved to the center of the social-policy agenda. As a result, public interest in race has skyrocketed. For the first time in Brazilian history, social policies have begun to explicitly promote social integration of blacks and mulattos. Such policies do not merely seek to eliminate or alleviate material poverty but also strive to eliminate or reduce class, racial, gender, and other discriminations that bar citizens from access to social justice. This includes both universal policies that encompass the entire population or the poor population, as well as particularistic policies that combat discrimination and promote categories of people that have been excluded on the basis of particular characteristics, including race. The designs of these policies vary widely, but together they seek to address a broad range of social exclusions that are manifested economically, psychologically, politically, and culturally. This change is a milestone in Brazilian racial thought, much like Brazil's earlier ideological transition from white supremacy to racial democracy.
Indeed, the idea of affirmative action or policies specifically designed for blacks and mulattos sounds quit odd and out of place in the Brazilian context. In fact, the whole idea sounded preposterous and highly unlikely just a few years ago. Brazil had been one of the first multiracial states to go beyond race, but it had become apparent that its racial democracy continued to privilege whites at the expense of nonwhites, just as it did during most of its history of white supremacy. Now that these policies are actually being implemented, Brazilian policymakers are accused of imposing U.S. policies. Why would Brazil want such policies? Opponents claim that the Brazilian context is different from the United States and such policies would be of limited effectiveness. But does Brazil have an alternative to U.S.-style race-conscious policies? As the Brazilian state begins to use race explicitly to promote blacks for the first time in its history, what consequences can be expected?

Exercício página 19:

READING FOR GENERAL COMPREHENSION

1. The text is a section of the introduction to a book called Race in Another America: the Significance of Skin Color in Brazil. What is the main purpose of the text?

( ) To prove that racial discrimination in Brazil is over.

( ) To compare social policies in Brazil and in the United States.

( ) To present a reason for reconsidering Brazilian race relations.

2. What is the author’s tone toward racial policies in Brazil?

( ) Confident. ( ) Concerned.

Find a fragment that illustrates his point of view.

READING FOR DETAILED COMPREHENSION

1. Write T (True) or F (False). Then, correct the false statements.

a. ( ) New social policies are being implemented in Brazil and they address race issues.

b. ( ) Social policies have started to promote racial segregation between blacks and mulattos.

c. ( ) the main aim of social policies Brazil is to provide social justice to all citizens.

d. ( ) Brazil has moved from racial democracy to white supremacy.

2. Find fragments that express the same ideas as in the statements below.
a. Brazilian policymakers are discussing the issue of race as a central topic.

b. Affirmative actions seemed not to fit in the Brazilian context.

c. Racial democracy in Brazil still favored whites over blacks.

Answer 1

1) C (last)
2) T/F/F/T
3) A (first)