UCL-Institute of the Americas (UCL-IA) welcomes its Associate Fellow, David Lehmann (Emeritus Reader in Social Sciences, Cambridge) to deliver this talk.

In 2012 the Brazilian Supreme Court and the Congress both passed important decisions permitting and decreeing the establishment of large quotas for black, low-income and indigenous students in Brazil's Federal Universities. This was the culmination of what in retrospect can be seen as a social movement conducted largely through the Federal bureaucracy, and backed by a wide variety of individuals and institutions, notably the Ford Foundation, as well as of sometimes bitter debate among the intelligentsia.

The seminar will present an account of the 'quotas movement' based on extensive interviews and other courses conducted and collected over a two-year period in Rio, São Paulo, Brasilia, Salvador, Recife and Campina Grande. 

The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session and is expected to end at 19:30, to be followed by a brief wine reception. Attendance to this event is free of charge but registration is required.