Suporte social e a experiência acadêmica de estudantes negros na Universidade de São Paulo: uma análise qualitativa

Abstract

The permanence of black students is a significant challenge, as they face various social barriers, such as prejudice and ethnic-racial discrimination; financial difficulties; lack of emotional support, among other factors. This qualitative study analyzed social support for black students at a public university. We interviewed 51 black students from the University of São Paulo (USP) between 18 and 41 years old, 25 men, 25 women and 01 non-binary. The results revealed that USP's permanence policy offers limited social support, especially due to the low value of financial assistance. However, black student collectives are seen as a satisfying social support, providing a sense of belonging and resistance. The academic experience of black women suggests more importance for affective support, while black men, instrumental support, such as access to tangible resources. The only non-binary student demonstrated a complex interaction with the available social supports, as well as the other participants, exhibiting ambivalence towards institutional support and actively seeking informational and emotional support in academic collectives. The results indicate the importance of different types of social support (emotional, instrumental, informative) for the well-being and academic success of black men, women, and non-binary students.