The Politics of Black Inclusion in Peru and Ecuador

• In Event: Racism and Political Attitudes in Latin America

Abstract

This paper studies how Black social movements in Peru and Ecuador have impacted the political landscape of their states. I assess impact using the following indicators: 1) public policies targeted towards the Black population; 2) state institutions established specifically to aid the Black population; 3) constitutional and legal reforms advocated by activists. The presence (or absence) of these indicators helps to understand if these movements achieved their goals and the overall change in the political landscape of their state. Additionally, I am concerned with how Black activists have engaged with their states and the new arrangements of power that arise from their demands for inclusion. Field Research for this project was conducted from 2004-2016 and involved over 100 semi-structured interviews with public officials activists and politicians in both countries along with archival research in diverse areas ranging from libraries, government offices and personal activist archives.

Author

• John Thomas, University of Chicago