« Couleur ou race : Indigène » ? Contextes et réceptions de l’introduction d’une catégorie dans le recensement national brésilien de 1991

Abstract

The definition of categories in national censuses is object of national and international discussions. It creates socio-political dynamics, giving visibility to the issues discussed, making them more « readable ». In 1991, the Brazilian census included the category « indigenous » in its questionnaire, changing the description of the ethnic-racial composition of the Brazilian population. The purpose of this article is to analyze the context of the inclusion of this category in the census. It also explores some of the controversies that arose during the census operations and the publication of their results.

Keywords

• national census
• indigenous visibility
• Brazil
• race-color
• racial-ethnic categories
• 20th-21st centuries