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This study engaged the relatively new method of on-line survey methodology to address a few key questions about perceptions of racism in Puerto Rico. The questions addressed whether Puerto Ricans perceive anti-black racism to exist; whether they have experienced it personally or observed racist behaviors and practices; and in what realms of social life they perceive racism to exist. The article correlates these findings with the way respondents described themselves racially. Thus, this article reports on three distinct areas: (1) the use of on-line survey methodology to address questions of race and racism; (2) quantitative response patterns about racism in PR and among Puerto Ricans and their relationship to how people selfdescribed racially; and (3) to how, when, and where racism is manifested according to respondents. [Key words: Puerto Rico, racism, race, skin color, on-line surveys]
This research study, which asks participants "Does racism exist in Puerto Rico?," emerged as a result of observations made by the authors about the lack of quantitative evidence to support the many qualitative studies that have long documented racism, racist practices, and racial discrimination against black and/or dark skin individuals in Puerto Rico.1 Additionally, conversations with colleagues, cultural workers, and activists about the need to systematically document the effects and consequences of racism in Puerto Rico made apparent the need for gathering quantitative data about race and racism. Our goal was to engage the relatively new method of on-line survey methodology to address a few basic, yet important questions about perceptions of racism in Puerto Rico.
We understand that perceptions of "race" and of racism are culturally and historically informed. To the extent that perceptions are normative, they are also shared among the individuals who comprise a given cultural group. In their everyday lives individuals tend to deploy perceptive categories without much thought. In other words, normative categories can be so naturalized within culture that individuals might use them completely outside of conscious awareness (Hoetink 1967; Mintz 2005). Yet even when the agreed upon racial categories are naturalized, it is worth noting that they nevertheless offer insight into "socially relevant distinctions" (Mintz 2005, 39). Each of the racial/color categories used by respondents in our survey point to specific perceptual distinctions and/or "scripts" about racial and social standing...