Entre as ações afirmativas e o racismo institucional: as contradições da universidade na promoção da igualdade racial

Abstract

The reservation of seats for black and indigenous students at universities has led to changes in the profile of students at these institutions. However, the greater number of students from these two racial groups does not imply that universities are spaces that guarantee equal opportunities or racial equity. Institutional practices that hinder the full access of black and indigenous people to fundamental rights, public policies and spaces of influence have been recognized as expressions of institutional racism. The overall aim of the research presented in this thesis was to analyze the contradictions between the implementation of affirmative action to promote racial equality and expressions of institutional racism at UFRN. The research applied dialectical and historical materialism as a theoretical methodological approach, inspired by the Marxist understandings about racism, State and the Brazilian universities in the context of dependent capitalism. The research procedures involved a survey of institutional documents and semi structured interviews with central administration managers. Although UFRN guarantees reserved seats for black and indigenous students in its courses and some actions to promote racial equality, these actions are mainly developed by black public employees. In addition, the institution does not have structured policies to promote racial equality and combat racism. The expressions of institutional racism that were identified are related to Brazilian universities' position of dependence on cultural, scientific and ideological production and reproduction, which are directly linked to the reproduction of the capitalist and racist social relations that make up the Brazilian social formation.