Affirmative actions in terms of special rights: Confronting structural violence in Brazilian higher education

Author(s)

Gomes da Silva, Guilherme Henrique ^[1] ; Skovsmose, Ole ^{[2, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Alfenas, Dept Math, 700th Gabriel Monteiro da Silva St, BR-37130001 Alfenas, MG - Brazil

^[2] Aalborg Univ, Dept Learning & Philosophy, Aalborg - Denmark

^[3] State Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Math Educ, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: POWER AND EDUCATION; v. 11, n. 2, p. 204-220, JUL 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

In this article, the authors interpret affirmative actions with reference to structural violence, which is accompanied by legitimizing discourses that tend to make discrimination appear natural and unquestionable. They illustrate the extension of structural violence in Brazilian society with particular reference to access to higher education. It has been common to talk about some groups of students as having special needs. However, the authors see groups of students suffering structural violence as being groups with special rights, and explore affirmative actions through the notion of special rights. The authors find that special-rights terminology establishes the discussion of affirmative actions in higher education in a broader and, at the same time, more profound conceptual framework related to interpretations of social justice. Simultaneously, special-rights terminology brings an educational specificity to the discussion of affirmative actions. Thus, the authors see affirmative actions as being both a general sociopolitical and specific educational challenge. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/05584-3 - Equity in access to higher education: the role of Mathematics Education in face of affirmative actions for underrepresented groups
• Grantee: Guilherme Henrique Gomes da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate