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¿Qué es racismo?: Awareness of Racism and Discrimination in Ecuador

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 September 2022

Scott H. Beck
Affiliation:
East Tennessee State University
Kenneth J. Mijeski
Affiliation:
East Tennessee State University
Meagan M. Stark
Affiliation:
Syracuse University
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Abstract

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In the national consciousness, Ecuador is a mestizo nation. However, it is also an ethnically diverse nation with sizable minorities of indigenous and Afro-descended peoples. In national surveys, there is also a considerable minority who self-identify as blanco (white). Although there is strong evidence of continuing discrimination and prejudice toward both indigenous and Afro-descended peoples, there is little public discussion or political action addressing such issues. The emergence of a powerful and resilient indigenous movement in the late 1980s gained international interest and acclaim in the 1990s, in part because of the peaceful mobilization efforts and effective bargaining tactics of the movement. However, indigenous leaders usually have not engaged in a discourse of racismo and/or discriminación. There has been much less social movement solidarity and activism among Afro-Ecuadorians, but their leaders commonly employ a discourse of racismo and discriminación. In August and September 2004, a survey of more than eight thousand adult Ecuadorians was conducted in regard to racism and related topics. In this research, we use several measures from this survey that focus on awareness of and sensitivity to issues of racism, prejudice, and discrimination. Self-identification of respondents enables us to contrast the responses of whites, mestizos, Indians, and Afro-Ecuadorians to the measures. Other independent variables of interest are level of education, the region in which the respondent resides, and whether the respondent lives in an urban or rural area. Regression results show differences among the ethnic groups in levels of awareness of racism, but more powerful predictors are level of education and rural residence.

Resumen

Resumen

En la conciencia nacional, Ecuador es una nación mestiza. Al otro lado, es una nación de etnicidades diversas que incluyen minorías numerosas de indígenas y afrodescendientes. Además, encuestas nacionales y el censo de 2001 muestran que hay una minoría considerable que se autoidentifica como blancos. Mientras que existe evidencia fuerte que sigue siendo discriminación y prejuicio contra los indígenas y afroecuatorianos, hay poco discurso público sobre el tema. El surgimiento de un movimiento indígena poderoso y resistente en los años 1980 y 1990 ganó respecto nacional e internacional, en parte debido a las movilizaciones pacíficas y sus tácticos efectivos de negociación con el gobierno. Sin embargo, dirigentes del movimiento indígena no hablan un discurso de racismo y discriminación. Con respecto a la población afroecuatoriana, ha sido mucho menos activismo y solidaridad, pero sus dirigentes, al contrario de los líderes indígenas, sí hablan un discurso de racismo y discriminación. En agosto y septiembre de 2004 se realizó una encuesta única de más de ocho mil ecuatorianos adultos que se trata del tema de racismo y asuntos asociados. En este análisis, usamos variables de la encuesta que miden conciencia y sensibilidad a los temas de racismo, prejuicio y discriminación. Autoidentificación de los encuestados nos permite contrastar las respuestas de blancos, mestizos, indígenas y afroecuatorianos. También, otros variables independientes de interés usados en el análisis son nivel de educación, región del país y residencia urbano versus rural. Nuestro análisis muestra diferencias entre los grupos étnicos con respecto a sus niveles de conciencia y sensibilidad a racismo, prejuicio y discriminación. Sin embargo, lo que es de más importancia en explicar los actitudes sobre estos temas son el nivel de educación y residencia rural.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright ©2011 by the Latin American Studies Association

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