Racial and ethnic inequality in Latin America
- Black and dark-skin persons are generally at or near the bottom of the educational, occupational, and income distributions in all countries in Latin America.
- Indigenous persons are almost invariably at the bottom of the educational, occupational, and income distributions in all countries in Latin America.
- Black, indigenous, and dark skin disadvantage occurs independently of social class or parental origins and other social characteristics such as age, gender, and region. These disadvantages seem to be largely due to discrimination.
- An exception to black and indigenous disadvantage is in Panama. Still, a closer look suggests Afro-Panamanians benefit from their concentration in developed areas, especially Panama’s capital. The West Indian immigrant origin of a segment of that population may also have mitigated the historical legacy of colonial slavery in Panama.
- Public policies to address ethnoracial disadvantage are scarce in Latin America. However, race-targeted Affirmation Action in Brazilian higher education is exceptional in scale and intent, yielding positive educational results.
