Pigmentocracy or colorism refers to the practice of intraracial groups applying a preferential valuation to lighter skin, resulting in a system of contextual privileges and discriminations based on skin color. In India, this phenomenon is informed by numerous factors, including colonialism, the caste system, media, cultural practices, and patriarchy. The fundamental forces contributing to pigmentocracy are explored independently as well as in conjunction with each other in order to elucidate the multifaceted aspects of social organization in India, specifically, the larger effects of imperialism, capitalism, globalization, racism, and sexism as they relate to colorist ideology. Everyday practices and attitudes informed by caste, class, religion, language, region, and customs are also examined in relation to pigmentocracy. Although there are numerous mechanisms that contribute to the complexity of examining pigmentocracy, larger patterns also prevail that allow for a comprehensive understanding of how pigmentocratic notions influence and are influenced by multiple background and demographic conditions. Benefits for those who are on the lighter end of the skin color spectrum are recognized and leveraged in accordance with the systemic logic of being naturally superior. Conversely, often those on the darker end of the spectrum are perceived as inferior, thus perpetuating the superiority of whiteness. Pigmentocracy is detrimental psychologically, physically, and socioeconomically due to the ways in which darker skin is often viewed (by society, media, lighter individuals as well as darker people who subscribe to the belief that white is better) as less attractive, less valuable, less pure, and less clean. For those perceived to be darker, the consequences can include violence, marginalization, and discrimination in areas of employment, education, government, access to resources, psychological trauma, disparities in marital opportunities and conceived notions of beauty, and underrepresentation in media. / Ph. D.

[pt] Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo investigar o Letramento Racial – compreensão crítica das dinâmicas raciais e suas implicações sociais, capacitando indivíduos a reconhecer, questionar e combater o racismo estrutural – e a Pigmentocracia – uma das manifestações racistas que considera a cor da pele um importante fator de estratificação social –, tópicos que emergem nas narrativas de ex-alunos negros de pele clara da graduação da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio). Nessas narrativas, nos debruçamos sobre como os participantes constroem suas identidades raciais e como tais identidades, na interação social, geram reflexões sobre o desenvolvimento de multiletramentos, em especial o Letramento Racial Crítico e o Letramento de Reexistência, como uma presença contínua na universidade. O referencial teórico desta pesquisa, guiada pela metodologia qualitativa-interpretativista, baseia-se em categorias derivadas da Análise de Narrativa, o que nos permite priorizar uma perspectiva microssocial dos relatos trazidos nas entrevistas semiestruturadas, realizadas com três participantes. As interações que se desenvolvem reforçam e ao mesmo tempo afrouxam arranjos sociais, que se tornam visíveis como resultado da prática narrativa. Assim, as análises nos direcionam para as práticas identitárias de ex-alunos negros de pele clara da PUC-Rio e aos conflitos discursivos em torno do racismo em uma instituição elitista, predominantemente branca, e localizada na Zona Sul do Rio de Janeiro, bem como apresentam a importância dos efeitos do letramento racial no cotidiano profissional desses estudantes. / [en] This research aims to investigate Racial Literacy – a critical understanding of racial dynamics and their social implications, enabling individuals to recognize, question, and combat structural racism – and Pigmentocracy – one of the racist manifestations which considers skin color an important factor of social stratification. These topics emerge in the narratives of light-skinned black undergraduates at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio). In these narratives we focus on how the participants construct their racial identities, the meanings attributed to these, as well as how these develop in social interaction, to reflect on the development of multiliteracies, especially Critical Racial Literacy and Literacy of Re-existence, as a continuous presence at university. The theoretical framework of this research, guided by a qualitative-interpretative methodology, draws on categories stemming from Narrative Analysis. This enables us to prioritize a micro social perspective of the accounts provided in the semi-structured interviews conducted with three participants, paying attention to the social encounters brought to life during storytelling. The interactions which develop as these story worlds unfold at once reinforce and disrupt settled social arrangements which become visible as a result of narrative practice. Hence, the analyses direct us towards the identity practices of these students related to discursive conflicts surrounding racism in a largely white elitist institution situated in Rio de Janeiro s South Zone: PUC-Rio; as well as they present the importance of the effects of racial literacy in the professional daily lives of these students.