Why don't we see the afro-argentines in C.A.B.A.?

Un-whitening the view from a decolonial perspective

Abstract

The objective of this work is to analyze some of the mechanisms by which the phenomenon of “racial whitening” has been so effective in this nation. In order to do this, I will firstly introduce the main ideas of the decolonial theory with the aim of shading light on the Eurocentric matrix of the birth of the Latin American Nation-States in general, and the Argentine one in particular. Secondly, I will investigate the constructions of national history which attempt to explain the alleged "disappearance" of this population. Furthermore, I will present a revisionist historical interpretation that argues the possibility of contemplating a different version of the facts. Thirdly, I will address the racial categories that are currently used in the City of Buenos Aires: the way they were built and their links to the history of these categories. Finally, I will introduce some reflections on the mechanisms through which this population is invisibilized both at a macro-social level and in the imaginary of the Argentines’ daily life.