Download Article (PDF)

LIMA, Antonio Carlos de Souza. Educación Superior para Indígenas en el Brasil: más allá de los cupos. in: Vibrant – Virtual Brazilian Anthropology, v. 5, n. 1. January to June 2008. Brasília, ABA. Available at http://www.vibrant.org.br/issues/v5n1/antonio-carlos-de-souza-lima-educacion-superior-para-indigenas-en-el-brasil/

Abstract

The objective of the present text is analyze current, so-called affirmative action programs with regards to their improvement of the access o Native Brazilian students to higher education and their permanency and success within the university. Here, we attempt to avoid 1) reducing these questions to a generic and general “struggle against social exclusion”, which lumps Native, Black and “traditional” (i.e. riverine, rubber tapper, landless peasant, etc.) groups into one amorphous mass; 2) pre-conceived formulas which opose processes of institutional change government policy formation in order to implement changes which seek to implement educational equity, a dilema characteristic of international cooperations agreements and their surrounding socio-political formations. We seek: 1) to accurately describe the situation of Brazilian indigenous peoples within this debate, emphasizing their cultural and linguistic diversity, their land rights which encompass a large portion of Brazil’s national territory, their geographic dispersal and their distinct histories with regards to their dealings with the Brazilian state; 2) to map out the sociogenesis of the indigenous demand for greater access to higher education; 3) to describe those affirmative actions which target indigenous people and which are currently in operation in Brazil.

Resumo

O objetivo do presente texto é destacar alguns aspectos de significativa importância quando pensamos em políticas de ação afirmativa considerando os povos indígenas no Brasil como seus destinatários. Para isso, trata-se de, em primeiro lugar, recuperar, ainda que brevemente, um pouco da história da ação do Estado republicano brasileiro sobre os povos indígenas no país. Um segundo momento aborda como os povos indígenas passam a demandar a formação ao nível superior. Num terceiro momento, busca-se pensar sobre o contorno de ações afirmativas que se adequem aos desafios da formação superior de indígenas.

Résumé

L’objectif de ce texte est de mettre en évidence certains aspects qui se révèlent d’une importance significative lorsqu’on se penche sur les politiques de discrimination positive ayant pour destinataires les peuples indigènes du Brésil. Pour ce faire, j’essaierai, en premier lieu, de retracer brièvement une partie de l’histoire de l’action de l’État républicain brésilien sur les peuples indigènes dans le pays. En second lieu, je soulignerai de quelle façon les peuples indigènes ont commencé à demander une formation de niveau supérieur. Et finalement, je chercherai à montrer la dimension de certaines discriminations positives qui s’adaptent bien aux défis de la formation supérieure d’indigènes.

Resumen

El objetivo del presente texto es destacar algunos aspectos que vienen manifestándose de significativa importancia cuando pensamos en políticas de acción afirmativa, considerando a los pueblos indígenas en el Brasil como sus destinatarios. Para ello trataré, en primer lugar, de recuperar, aunque brevemente, un poco de la historia de la acción del estado republicano brasileño sobre los pueblos indígenas en el país. En segundo lugar, resaltaré cómo los pueblos indígenas pasaron a demandar formación de nivel superior. Y, finalmente, busco indicar ciertos contornos de acciones afirmativas que se adecuan a los desafíos de la formación superior de indígenas.