A compassionate, intelligent, and beautifully written study of racism in one of the worldÆs poorest slums. Through the intimate detail, the word, conversation, pause, and silence, Robin Sheriff exposes the contradictory reality that lies behind the myth and dream of racial democracy in Brazil. Dreaming Equality should be read by everyone interested in racismùand equality.— Vincent Crapanzano, distinguished professor of anthropology and comparative literature, CUNY Graduat
In this ethnography, Sheriff challenges the decades-old claim that Brazil is relatively free of racial prejudice and functions as a democracia racial (racial democracy) by examining how discourse there constructs cultural understanding. . . . Skillfully dismembering the concept of democracia racial and all its paradoxes, Sheriff offers an innovative method for analyzing racism in any country or locale, not just Brazil.— Library Journal
An interesting case study. . . . This book is an excellent resource for researchers and students interested in race relations in countries with large numbers of African descendants, predominant miscegenation, and a covert racism (disguised as racial democracy), as is the case in Brazil.— Contemporary Sociology