RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Using Brazil’s Racial Continuum to Examine the Short-Term Effects of Affirmative Action in Higher Education
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 754
OP 784
DO 10.3368/jhr.47.3.754
VO 47
IS 3
A1 Francis, Andrew M.
A1 Tannuri-Pianto, Maria
YR 2012
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/47/3/754.abstract
AB In 2004, the University of Brasilia established racial quotas. We find that quotas raised the proportion of black students, and that displacing applicants were from lower socioeconomic status families than displaced applicants. The evidence suggests that racial quotas did not reduce the preuniversity effort of applicants or students. Additionally, there may have been modest racial disparities in college academic performance among students in selective departments, though the policy did not impact these. The findings also suggest that racial quotas induced some individuals to misrepresent their racial identity but inspired other individuals, especially the darkest-skinned, to consider themselves black.