Review by Choice Review
This collection, which is written by historians and anthropologists and is unusual in the extent of its cohesiveness, probes the historical interaction of Afro-Brazilians and the larger society in the northeast state of Bahia since the early 19th century. Eight chapters explore the interplay between a deeply embedded, persisting reality of racial discrimination and a series of profound social and economic changes. They demonstrate in varied time periods and societal arenas that this has resulted in Afro-Bahians employing three fundamental strategies as they have sought to carve out new cultural spaces for themselves while at the same time seeking equal opportunities and full participation in the regional society. These strategies consisted of testing the limits of socially sanctioned channels of advancement; seizing on periods of historical disruption to secure rights and space on their own terms; and creating alternative power bases. Kraay's introduction effectively lays out the necessary historical background; Kim Butler's afterword creatively recapitulates the thesis, skillfully reprising the case studies of her colleagues in the process. Those case studies focus on the imperial army, Candomble, land reform, and the creation of self-directed cultural and political institutions. Recommended for upper-division undergraduates and above. S. F. Voss; SUNY College at Plattsburgh
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
