Discourses of Anti-Racism in Afro-Uruguay: A Black Feminist Perspective

While a number of studies have examined (anti) racism in Uruguay in general (e.g., Andrews; Bucheli and Porzecanski; Olaza, "Políticas"; Rodríguez), discourse analytic studies of anti-racism in the Uruguayan context have not received the same degree of attention. In order to contribute to this gap, the current study examines resistance discourses of Afro-Uruguayan women. Through a Black Feminist lens, discourses regarding intersectionality, gender and racial inequality within the Uruguayan community, and solidarity among Afro-Uruguayan women are examined. A thematic analysis of Uruguayan media (news and social media) is employed to explore such discourses (e.g., Uruguay's Radio Camacuá, YouTube ), and the data are analyzed for discursive strategies following a Critical Discourse Studies approach. Findings reveal themes including the lack of access to employment and education for Afro-Uruguayan women, candombe as central to the identity of Afro-Uruguayan women and site of resistance, intersectionality, and community building within and beyond Uruguay. The discourse structures observed include expressing solidarity and collectivity through pronominal choice (De Fina, Identity ; Martín-Rojo), self-presentation, the use of statistics, and the use of non-sexist language, among others. This investigation aids in furthering our understanding of the ways in which anti-racist ideologies and praxes are reflected through discourses of women regarding racism in Uruguay.