Latino, Eu? The Paradoxical Interplay of Identity in Brazuca Literature

Abstract

With the increase of Brazilian immigration to the United States, the "brazucas" have been questioning their position and inclusion in the Latino community, claiming a distinct identity and a singular voice. After briefly situating the Brazilian community as an ethnic group in the United States, this essay examines a series of Brazuca novels in order to discuss how and why Brazilians have been "a part apart" from the Latino group. The political and ideological consequences of this "in and out" movement are discussed not only within the Latino sociopolitical cultural space, but also within the broader context of American society as a whole.