From the institutional discourse of confcotas at UNEB to the policy of quotas in public notices

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to analyze the institutional discourse of the State University of Bahia in the editions of the Quota Students Conference (CONFCOTAS) and how this unfolds in the Public Notices of the Afirmativa Program for granting extension and research scholarships. A documentary analysis research was carried out, with an interpretative base linked to discourse analysis (DA). The final reports of the I and II CONFCOTAS were analyzed, as well as the propositions and images present in these reports. All public notices of the Affirmative Program were also analyzed. From the reading and analysis of the documents (verbal and non-verbal) mentioned above, the research found that UNEB not only provided the access of poor, black, indigenous, LGBTQIA+ people, among others, to Higher Education, but also sought to dialogue and propose policies that contribute to the permanence of these people in the university space. CONFCOTAS represents, at the very least, a democratic, inclusive and affirmative action by the university towards quota students because they had the chance to talk about their personal experiences and contribute to the creation of policies that improve both access of new quota holders as well as the permanence conditions of those who were inserted. The Afirmativa Program is essential for the educational development of quota students, as it allows minority groups to immerse themselves in “privileged” places in academia, which is the case, for example, of scientific initiation.