Mapping Racial Fluidity over Time in Jamaica

The author examines racial fluidity, defined as ambiguity around racial boundaries and shifting national identification patterns over time, in Jamaica. Using data from the 2010 to 2023 AmericasBarometer in Jamaica, the author explores how skin color and socioeconomic status (SES) influence Black or mixed self-identification and whether racial schemas have evolved. The results show that both skin color and SES are associated with racial identification. Over time, skin color ratings between Black and mixed-race individuals converged, suggesting increased fluidity between skin color and racial identity. Additionally, the relationship between SES and racial identification changed significantly across survey years. These findings (1) expand the study of racial fluidity to a majority African-descended society shaped by ideologies of racial mixing; (2) reframe the role of SES in racial identity through mestizoization or creolization rather than whitening; and (3) highlight intra-Black fluidity, whereby racial identity may diverge from skin color. Overall, the study illustrates how national racial formations shape the malleability of race.