Talking about boundaries: symbolic boundaries and ethno-racial repertoires in contemporary Brazil

Abstract

The article argues that there is a shift in core conceptions of identity and belonging in Brazil’s national identity narrative. Analysing the discourse on affirmative action in favour of black people in contemporary Brazil, we discuss three differentiated repertoires with implications for the construction of collective boundaries of an ethnoracial nature, which the author calls dilution, negotiation and salience. These frameworks are ways of talking about boundaries between groups and therefore make it possible to organise the perception of ethnic and racial diversity. Furthermore, the article highlights the importance of narratives of national identity in the ways these frameworks are structured. The article also posits the need to consider the role of the state and its agents in the establishment of the legitimate codifications of belonging.