The Expansion of Legal Higher Education and the Access of Ethnic Minorities

We investigate the expansion of the teaching of law in Brazil, its reflexes in the state of Mato Grosso and the programs directed to the students of higher education belonging to ethnic minorities (Afro-Brazilians and Brazilian Natives). Such objective was guided by the research question that aimed at identifying the how and in which measure the relationship established among higher education students, universities and the appropriation of academic and scientific knowledge are strategies that aim at achieving cultural, symbolic and instrumental assets. The research methodology includes a mixed approach and a socio-historical approach, with a bibliographic study and documental compilation, starting from the creation and development of legal study to the implantation of the affirmative actions in Brazil and at selected institutes of higher education . We also conducted some semi-structured interviews with students engaged in the Program for the Inclusion of Brazilian Natives (PROIND) and with students of Afro-Brazilian origin engaged in the Program University for All (PROUNI).  We approach the topic of university, the rights and the access of the Afro-Brazilians, the resolution of the Supremo Tribunal Federal on PROUNI and in which we analyze the results of the interviews, where we came to the conclusion that despite the different trajectories and challenges from the previous group, the transposition of limitations, imposed by the academic and social barriers on the Afro-Brazilian students, set them closer not only to obtaining a graduate degree in law, but also to conquering a new status within their academic communities and those of origin.