Structural racism and affirmative action policies in graduate legal education

an intersectional analysis of the retention of black women at the Federal University of Uberlândia (2012-2024)

Abstract

This study analyzes the multiple dimensions of structural oppression affecting the trajectories of Black women in Brazil. The primary objective of this research is to articulate theoretical frameworks with empirical evidence in order to assess the effectiveness of affirmative action policies in mitigating epistemicide and overcoming barriers to the intellectual and material advancement of this group within academic and social environments. Methodologically, the study adopts a hypothetical-deductive approach with a qualitative orientation, operationalized through a critical literature review, documentary analysis of the admission notices issued by the Graduate Program in Law at the Federal University of Uberlândia between 2012 and 2024, and the triangulation of secondary quantitative data on inclusion and dropout rates. The findings demonstrate that, despite the formal expansion of access through affirmative action policies, institutional factors and the scarcity of retention policies hinder the effective correction of structural inequalities, revealing fluctuations and setbacks in the occupation of reserved positions by the end of the period examined. The study concludes that there is an urgent need to reformulate these public policies from an intersectional perspective, combining admission quotas with qualitative support and retention mechanisms in order to ensure epistemic plurality and substantive equality within the Brazilian legal and social system.