Transitory versus Durable Boundary Crossing: What Explains the Indigenous Population Boom in Mexico?

Flores, René D.; Loria, Maria Vignau; Casas, Regina Martínez

doi:10.1086/725337

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…In Latin American countries, the distinction between indigenous and non-indigenous populations is a fluid continuum with complex relationships with skin color and socioeconomic status. In Mexico, cultural practices, sense of belonging, and regional language use are the characteristics that best describe this classification [ 98 , 99 ]; nonetheless, skin color still has effects on the way Mexicans perceive each other and, thus, make this distinction, mainly by promoting racial attitudes, and stereotypes. For example, Flores and Telles [ 25 ] found that in Mexicans with the same skin color, those with high income are twice as likely to be perceived and described as white than those with low income.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of facial skin pigmentation on social judgments in a Mexican population

Martínez-Ramírez,

Puts,

Nieto

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

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People quickly and involuntarily form impressions of others based on their facial physical attributes, which can modulate critical social interactions. Skin pigmentation is one of the most variable and conspicuous facial traits among human populations. Empirical evidence suggests that these variations reflect ancestral ecological selective pressures balancing cutaneous vitamin D synthesis with the protection of the dermis from ultraviolet radiation. Nevertheless, skin pigmentation may currently be subject to additional selective pressures. For instance, the colonial era in Central and South America developed a highly stratified society based on ethnic origins, and light skin pigmentation became associated with higher social status and deference. This association could have originated through historical social learning that promoted favorable social perceptions towards individuals with lighter skin color and unfavorable perceptions towards individuals with darker skin color, which could still be present in the perception of current populations. Facial skin pigmentation is also sexually dimorphic, with males tending to exhibit darker skin than females, a difference that could be driven by sexual selection. To explore whether social learning and sexual selection represent additional selective pressures on skin pigmentation, we tested how this facial trait influences fundamental social perceptions in a Mexican population (N = 700, 489 female). We sampled facial images of eight European American males with natural lighter facial skin and eight males from an indigenous pre-Columbian community from Mexico, the Me’Phaa, with natural darker facial skin. We produced stimuli from these images by varying the skin pigmentation while preserving the facial shape. Stimuli were rated on attractiveness, trustworthiness, perceived health, dominance, aggressiveness, and femininity/masculinity. We found that the natural light-skinned faces were perceived as more attractive, trustworthy, and healthy but less dominant than the natural dark faces. Furthermore, by varying the facial skin color in these original groups, we altered the perceptions of them, mainly their attractiveness. These results partially support the hypothesis that dark facial skin color may help males compete for mates. Also, the results strongly support the view that lighter facial skin color became associated with social benefits through social learning in this Mexican population. Our findings, when viewed through the lens of cultural evolution, align with previous research in social psychology and anthropology. They hold the potential to offer a comprehensive understanding of the origin of this social phenomenon of cultural transmission, which currently plays a role in the formation of racial attitudes, stereotyping, and racial inequality in Mexican and other Latin American populations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of facial skin pigmentation on social judgments in a Mexican population

Martínez-Ramírez,

Puts,

Nieto

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

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“…Power dynamics of political, economic, and cultural pressure reinforce existing inequality structures inherited by colonialism in what is referred to as Neocolonialism (Maldonado-Torres, 2016). Estimates derived from a census in 2015 indicate that self-identified indigenous people constituted approximately 8%-10% of the population in the Caribbean and Latin America by 2018, totaling around 60 million people, a consistently growing number (CEPAL, 2020;Oliva Martínez, 2022;Flores et al, 2023). These indigenous groups endure ongoing social, economic, and political marginalization rooted in historical power imbalances and systemic inequalities (Cusicanqui, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bridging the gap: returning genetic results to indigenous communities in Latin America

Arango-Isaza,

Aninao,

Campbell

et al. 2023

Front. Genet.

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In response to inequality in access to genomics research, efforts are underway to include underrepresented minorities, but explicit (and enforcing) guidelines are mostly targeted toward the Global North. In this work, we elaborate on the need to return scientific results to indigenous communities, reporting the actions we have taken in a recent genomic study with Mapuche communities in Chile. Our approach acknowledged the social dynamics perpetuating colonial hierarchies. We framed genetic results to empower indigenous knowledge and communities’ history and identities. A fundamental step in our strategy has been sharing the results with the communities before publishing the scientific paper, which allowed us to incorporate community perspectives. We faced the challenge of translating genetic concepts like admixture, emphasizing the distinction between identity and biology. To reach a broad and diverse audience, we disseminated the study results to single community members, cultural representatives, and high schools, highlighting the importance of the history of the region before the European contact. To facilitate results dissemination, we prepared didactic material and a report in Spanish written in non-specialized language, targeting a wider Latin American readership. This work illustrates the benefits of discussing scientific findings with indigenous communities, demonstrating that a collaborative and culturally sensitive approach fosters knowledge sharing and community empowerment and challenges power dynamics in genetic research. Bridging the gap between academia and indigenous communities promotes equity and inclusion in scientific endeavors.

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