Beyond the Mestiçagem: Black Students and Social Mobility Through Higher Education in Brazil

• In Event: Unlearning Failure: Black Scholars and the Promise of Educational Transformation in Global Contexts

Abstract

This presentation explores the intersection of affirmative action and social mobility among Black students in Brazilian higher education, focusing on the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES). Drawing on qualitative research, critical race theory, and discourse analysis, the study examines students’ experiences navigating racialization, institutional support, and labor market barriers. Although affirmative action has expanded access, this paper questions whether such access leads to genuine social mobility or if structural inequalities persist. It situates these questions within Brazil’s history of racial exclusion, emphasizing how whitening policies and elite-controlled education reinforced inequality. Despite the 2012 quota law (Federal Law 12.711/2012), disparities remain. Reviewing empirical data and literature, the study assesses the transformative potential of affirmative action in a context where Black and Indigenous contributions were long marginalized, including in national curricula until 2008. By centering student voices, this work contributes to comparative and international education by addressing how race and policy intersect with equity, inclusion, and socio-economic advancement.

Author

• Washington Galvao, University of Minnesota