DEMONIZATION OF THE OTHER: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF PREJUDICE AND RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE DIRECTED TOWARDS AFRO-BRAZILIAN RELIGIONS

Abstract

Brazil is home to a wide variety of religious beliefs, protected by legal and constitutional provisions. However, cases of religious prejudice and intolerance are increasing, especially against Afro-Brazilian religions, whose practitioners are frequently subjected to physical, verbal, and symbolic assaults. Dehumanization is a phenomenon linked to intergroup conflict that creates openings for the normalization of discriminatory and violent acts, as dehumanized individuals are perceived as “less than human.” In this context, this study aims to analyze religious intolerance and prejudice in Brazil and its relationship with the phenomenon of dehumanization, specifically targeting religions of African origin. For this analysis, a theoretical review on dehumanization and a systematic literature review on religious intolerance and prejudice were conducted, based on the PRISMA method. Among the main findings, the relationship between demonization and religious prejudice stands out. Demonization is a form of dehumanization in which individuals are attributed negative or evil characteristics. In the context of religious prejudice, members of Afro-Brazilian religions come to be seen as “more dangerous than human,” losing the protective status of normal human beings endowed with rights and moral guarantees, and becoming targets of hostility and persecution. It is concluded that religious intolerance and prejudice are closely related to the phenomenon of dehumanization, particularly demonization, although existing studies have not explored this relationship in depth.

Keywords: religious intolerance; religious prejudice; dehumanization; demonization; religion.