Manual de letramento racial: uma proposta para os discentes da Escola de Engenharia da UFRGS

Abstract

Racism in Brazil is a structural phenomenon that shapes political, economic, and social relations, perpetuating historical inequalities that affect Black and Indigenous communities. In the academic environment, while affirmative action policies have expanded access to higher education for these groups in recent decades, student retention is still challenged by discriminatory practices and the prevalence of 'normative whiteness.' Despite the legal support established by Laws No. 10.639/2003 and No. 11.645/2008, which mandate the teaching of Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous history and culture, their effective implementation still faces barriers in Higher Education, especially in fields such as Engineering. In this context, a formative gap is observed: students enter undergraduate programs without proper racial literacy, a concept defined as a critical educational process for re-education on racial issues. Given this problem, this study proposes the creation of a Racial Literacy Manual for students at the School of Engineering of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). The objective is to provide a pedagogical tool that demystifies the supposed neutrality of technology and prepares future professionals to work in plural and equitable environments. The proposal is based on the principles of anti-racist education and aligns with the National Curricular Guidelines for Engineering, which advocate for education guided by social responsibility. By disseminating concepts such as institutional racism, whiteness, and recreational racism, the project seeks to foster critical reflection and respect for diversity, contributing to a more representative science and a more just society.