Socioeconomic Adversity and Higher Education: Is the Quota Law a Potential Bridge to Social Mobility in Brazil?

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda

This article contributes to the debate on how Brazil’s Quota Law may affect social mobility for students facing high socioeconomic adversity. Using administrative data from a federal university, it constructs an adversity index via Confirmatory Factor Analysis, drawing on variables tied to access challenges. Courses are classified by expected earnings, and background links to course choice are examined. Regression models estimated with GMM identify how quota categories interact with adversity and ENEM scores to predict course choice and mobility outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Article Overview

Research Aim

Data and Methods

Key Variables and Modeling

Findings and Implications

education policy analysis archives A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal Arizona State University | Volume 32 Number 30 | May 27, 2024 | ISSN 1068-2341 | | --- | --- | --- | Socioeconomic Adversity and Higher Education: Is the Quota Law a Potential Bridge to Social Mobility in Brazil?1 Fernanda Maria de Almeida Federal University of Viçosa Brazil Kristinn Hermannsson University of Glasgow Scotland & Antônio Sérgio de Araújo Fernandes Federal University of Bahia Brazil Citação: Almeida, [F. M. de](F. M. de), Hermannsson, K. & Fernandes, A. S. de A. (2024). Socioeconomic adversity and higher education: Is the Quota Law a potential bridge to social mobility in Brazil? Education Policy Analysis Archives, 32(30). [https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.32.8387](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.32.8387) [Abstract:](Abstract: This article aims to contribute to the debate on the role of the Quota Law regarding)[ This article aims to contribute to the debate on the role of the Quota Law regarding](Abstract: This article aims to contribute to the debate on the role of the Quota Law regarding)[ ](Abstract: This article aims to contribute to the debate on the role of the Quota Law regarding)the potential social mobility of students with high socioeconomic adversity, using administrative data from a federal university in Brazil. We used Confirmatory Factor Analysis technique to construct an adversity index, composed of variables that may negatively affect access to higher education, such as students' socioeconomic background, parental education, and ethnicity. We classified courses by expected earnings and assessed how background is associated with course choice. Then, we used regression models estimated by the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to identify the relative importance of the interaction between quota categories with the adversity index and the score on the admission exam (National High School Examination – 1 We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Foundation Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes). Also, we are grateful for the support of the School of Education atthe University of Glasgow, Scotland, and the School of Administration at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil. Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio-ENEM) to predict course choice and consequent possibility of social mobility. The results showed that quotas can reduce the negative effects of socioeconomic adversity on social mobility. However, they are not completely sufficient to“break” the effects of the low quality of secondary education in relation to ENEM performance and, consequently, social mobility. Keywords: higher education; public policy; educational policy; social mobility Adversidad socioeconómica y educación superior: ¿La Ley de Cuotas es un puente para la movilidad social en Brasil? Resumen: Este artículo busca contribuir al debate sobre el papel de la Ley de Cuotas sobre el potencial de movilidad social de estudiantes con alta adversidad socioeconómica, utilizando datos administrativos de una Universidad Federal en Brasil. Utilizamos la técnica Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio para construir un índice de adversidad, compuesto por variables que pueden afectar negativamente el acceso a la educación superior, como el origen socioeconómico de los alumnos, la educación de los padres y la etnia. Clasificamos los cursos por ganancias esperadas y evaluamos cómo el origen está asociado con la elección del curso. Utilizamos modelos de regresión estimados mediante el Método de Momentos Generalizados (GMM) para identificar la importancia relativa de la interacción entre las categorías de cuotas con el indicador de adversidad y la puntuación en el examen de ingreso (Examen Nacional de Educación Media-ENEM) para prever la elección del curso y la posibilidad de movilidad social. Los resultados mostraron que las cuotas pueden lograr reducir los efectos negativos de la

FAQs

What is the study’s main research question?

The study asks whether Brazil’s Quota Law can serve as a bridge to social mobility for students experiencing high socioeconomic adversity.

How is socioeconomic adversity measured in the article?

The article builds an adversity index using Confirmatory Factor Analysis, based on variables such as students’ socioeconomic background, parental education, and ethnicity.

What modeling approach is used to predict course choice and mobility?

It uses regression models estimated with the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to assess the relative importance of interactions between quota categories, the adversity index, and ENEM scores.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda