Retratos do brasil: Raça e instrução nos censos populacionais do século XIX

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss the production of the first national census of Brazilian population, during the second half of nineteen century (1872, 1890 and 1990). In order to understand the construction of de-mographical categories to define and segment the population, we put focus on the data from Mato Grosso province/state. In this sense, we analyze the production and changes on two categories: racial composition and instruction, trying to show that demographic categories, more than an objective data constitutes a social and historical construction.