Ethnic-Racial Socialization and Racism in Brazilian Families: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Ethnic-racial socialization is the process through which individuals learn information and behaviors related to race, ethnicity, and racism. This study aims to examine the ethnic-racial socialization practices of Brazilian families through a systematic literature review. Specifically, it investigates the main content related to race, ethnicity, and racism that parents convey to their children, as well as how these practices vary according to the families' ethnic-racial composition. The study followed the PRISMA protocol guidelines, and the literature search was conducted across five multidisciplinary databases. In total, 22 studies were selected. The investigations encompassed families from various ethnic-racial groups (Black, White, interracial, Indigenous, Romani, and Asian-Brazilian), with the largest number of studies focusing on Black families. The selected works explore how parents engage in ethnic-racial socialization and the content conveyed, depending on the families' ethnic-racial background. Overall, the findings highlight that the family environment plays a central role in the ethnic-racial socialization of children and adolescents. For children and adolescents from minority groups, the family has served as a protective space, offering support, safety, and emotional resources in response to the effects of racism. In White families, however, a pattern of silence surrounding race and racism is observed; in other words, these topics are rarely addressed, which contributes to the persistence of racism and the perpetuation of racial inequalities. It is concluded that, although still an emerging field, the literature on this topic offers valuable contributions to the understanding of ethnic-racial dynamics within Brazilian families, as well as to the development of parenting strategies aimed at confronting racism. The study also presents the social implications of the findings and offers suggestions for future research.