Assessing the Law of Social Quotas: A qualitative approach to the perspectives of black University Students in São Paulo

This paper provides some preliminary understandings of how well the Brazilian law of Social Quotas is working since it’s passing in 2012, focusing on student attitudes toward this law, their progress towards university degrees, and presumably middle-class status. By interviewing ten students (selected largely from the educational non-profit, Educafro) from various universities throughout the city of São Paulo, this essay peers into the lives of black students enrolled in affirmative action programs. In addition to public university students, I also include private university students who have received financial assistance (grants, loans, and scholarships) from programs to increase accessibility for underrepresented communities. I chose black university students as my primary informants as they are the population most equipped to comment on and detail the successes and failures of affirmative action policies. I confirmed my hypothesis that black students would generally provide positive responses to the Law of Social Quotas, as the majority of informants reflected positively of the legislations. Though some rejected the Law of Social Quotas, all of the informants closely understood why some applicants might opt for preferential selection through the law of Social quotas. Informants seemed to understand how dire the economic situation is for many poor afro-Brazilians, regardless of their personal opinions on affirmative action. Furthermore, many support affirmative action legislations as academic research has disproven misconceptions regarding the intellectual capability of quota students.My research argues that most Black university students have a holistic understanding of the issues that closely considers both sides of the debate. These students reflect critically upon the societal and social implications of the “Law of Social Quotas” as they must negotiate their personal politics with consistent claims of a post racial society