Hi everyone,
I'm going to be writing a research paper on racial difference in colonial Mexico and I'm wondering if anyone might have an idea of where I can find primary sources on this subject? Or perhaps if anyone is knowledgeable of this subject, to direct me towards some sources.
I want to discuss how and why categorization of people along racial lines emerged along with the advantages/disadvantages afforded to groups depending what racial category they belonged to. I recognize that over time, racial difference in Latin America probably became more abstract given greater miscegenation. Rather than pointing to a lineage, people probably used phenotype to distinguish themselves and others.
Thank you for your time.
There are some good monographs that can point you to some primary sources... Most sources are archival and not easily accessible however. Although there are a number of transcribed primary document collections that do have some sources useful for this topic.
For the early period look at Schwaller's Generos de Gente in Early Colonial Mexico. For the middle to late colonial period look at Cope's Limits of Racial Domination. You might also be interested in Vinson's Before Mestizaje and Restall's Black Middle. For the religious underpinnings of race see Martinez's Genealogical Fictions.
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