Educational inequalities in the rural milieu: a study on the racial impacts in Brazil and in the state of Mato Grosso

Abstract

This article aims at analyzing the impact of racial inequality in the initial and final stages of school education of farming producers both in the state of Mato Grosso and Brazil. The main data source of this research is the 2017’s Agricultural Census. It portrays the state of affairs in Brazil’s rural life, such as education and race relations, allowing a critical perspective upon such aspects of the rural context. Thus, this article strives to address the following question: “What does the 2017’s Agricultural Census reveal about racial inequalities in the initial and final stages of school education of farmers in the state of Mato Grosso and Brazil?”. To answer this question, the following variables were analyzed: agricultural establishments, producers, race or skin color, literacy level and college education. The research design was based in a quantitative and qualitative approach, underscored by the theoretical framework of Paulo Freire, Miguel Arroyo, Carlos Hasenbalg and Nelson do Valle Silva. The analysis corroborates the persistence of profound inequalities by demonstrating that the majority of favorable indicators benefits the white population, while the majority of the unfavorable is comprised by black people.

Keywords

• education
• inequalities
• race relations
• agricultural census.