Historical Debts and Digital Inequalities: Experiences of First-Generation Women in Public Higher Education in Brazil and England in the Twenty-First Century

• In Event: Continuities & Disruptions: Exploring Historical Legacies in Latin American Education Today

Proposal

This paper explores how public policies and university-led actions in Brazil and England have expanded access to elite public higher education for historically under-represented groups in the twenty-first century, particularly Black and state-school women from working-class families. It highlights how this increased access intersects with broader inequalities, with a particular focus on digital disparities, and examines how these intersecting challenges affect the experiences of first-generation women students at university.

Affirmative action in Brazil and access agreements in England have led to record numbers of first-generation students entering universities in recent years, representing a demographic shift. However, these students, many of whom view a university degree as a path to social mobility, continue to face challenges in terms of belonging, especially in spaces designed by and for white elites, built upon their exclusion.

The debate surrounding affirmative action and access policies remains divided. In Brazil, critics from a meritocratic perspective argue against the socio-racial quota system for admissions at public universities. In England, the focus on targeting admissions at elite institutions such as Oxbridge is viewed by some as a form of social engineering. Conversely, supporters view these interventions as long overdue and as a form of historical reparation.

The global pandemic highlighted sharp inequalities, including digital disparities, on top of broader ones. Remote learning disproportionately impacted Black and state-school students in Brazil and England, widening gaps in access to educational resources. In Brazil, participation in national university entrance exams by Black students, as well as their enrolment in public universities, declined during the pandemic, as many were forced to leave education to support their families financially or care for sick relatives. In contrast, in England, while school closures also negatively impacted under-represented groups, award gaps for university intake narrowed. This was mostly due to the temporary suspension of national exams and the use of predicted grades for university admissions, along with universities shifting assessments from in-person to online formats.

This paper draws on empirical data, including in-depth interviews with first-generation Black and state-school women undergraduate students at elite universities in Brazil and England, as well as their mothers. It explores how the daughters' degrees may disrupt or perpetuate generational cycles, based on the lived experiences of both mothers and daughters. The research examines the students' experiences with remote learning since the pandemic, addressing persistent inequalities in digital access, while also highlighting the positive aspects of digital learning that have benefited these under-represented groups.

This paper argues that digital inequality exacerbates the challenges of inclusion and belonging within elite universities. Despite record admissions of underrepresented groups, the pressure to belong within these institutions limits the individual potential of these women and obstructs the radical transformation needed to truly embrace diverse bodies, knowledge, and realities. In envisioning education in a digital society from a gender justice perspective, this research calls for a more profound examination of socio-digital barriers that hinder equity among women in higher education, despite the progress made in widening participation policies.

Author

• Anna Maria Del Fiorentino, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge