Race Inequality in Education in Brazil and South Africa

• In Event: 207 - Section on Sociology of Education Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 09. Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Educational Attainment

Abstract

Despite markedly different racial and political histories, Brazil and South Africa are among the largest multiracial societies in the world, with striking race inequalities in social and economic opportunities and outcomes. While inequality has decreased sharply over the last decade in Brazil and has remained stable in South Africa, inequality remains high in both countries. Education plays a key role in generating and alleviating income inequality. Brazil and South Africa have witnessed significant educational expansions, with ever-large cohorts being incorporated into the educational system. Yet, despite overwhelming improvements in educational opportunity during the past decades, it is unclear whether educational expansion has alleviated race inequalities for younger cohorts. Both countries have also experienced significant changes in how race is understood and conceptualized in recent decades. Increasing educational attainment, particularly at the low-end of the social-economic distribution and among non-whites, coupled with changes in how race is understood, may have important implications for the distribution of educational inequality in these highly unequal societies. The goal of this paper is twofold. First, we examine educational opportunity by race. Second, we focus on within race gender differences in education. We are interested in educational outcomes that reflect both access and progression through the school system for different cohorts of Brazilian and South African students. Preliminary findings indicate that there have been important changes educational trajectories by race in these two countries, such that transitions inhibit students’ progression through school exist differently for some students than others.

Authors

• Leticia Marteleto, University of Texas-Austin

• Caitlin Ryan Hamrock, University of Texas-Austin