Rio and São Paulo: Dual cities? Comparison with Paris
Résumé
The authors pose the question as to whether the Brazilian metropolises are truly more segregated and more socially and spatially dual cities, or whether this is merely a consequence of the categories and methods adopted by most ofthe existing literature on the issue. They thus propose using a comparison with Paris to explore the question. The study thus addresses two of the maind imensions of segregation namely its socio-economic and ethno-racial aspects. InE urope although there is growing concern about the ethno-racial question and some authors argue that the latter has now assumed a much greater importance. In Brazil, the socio-economic dimension has also been seen as crucial yet ethno-racial segregation in the two metropolises have not been properlyformulated as such so far, despite the large (and growing) body of literature making it patent that the myth of «racial democracy» is nothing but that and racial inequality is one of the crucial factors to inequality ofopportunity in the country. The paper main focus of analysis is thus thecomparative nature and scope of socio-economic segregation. The ethno-racial dimension is brought into play when considering Brazil as data is more readily available while a comparison with Paris on this issue virtually impossible as yet.