THE THESEUS SHIP PARADOX: Analysis of Racism in Brazil based on Contemporary Brazilian Law

Abstract

The present work started from the paradox of Theseus' ship, proposing the reflection upon legal norms as the pieces of a ship that were replaced over time, which, to some extent, confer more rights, without, however, altering the entirety of the unequal system. The article is structured in three sections in addition to the introduction. The first focuses on normative law, the relationship between the production of knowledge and the maintenance of power, especially in the legal field, exposing the contradictions between the granting of ostensive rights and the perpetuation of Brazilian citizenship stratified based on race. The second sheds light on the legal mechanisms for the production of economic wealth commonly excluded from studies on socio-racial inequality, revealing how the legal code that claims to be neutral operates, preventing the social mobility of black people in Brazil even today. The last section points out paths to be followed to delve deeper into the topic.