From “Sites of Struggle” to “Complicit in Struggle”: Social Movements and the University in Brazil

Background: The formal education of universities on the one hand, and popular education on the other, have been generally understood as two ends of a spectrum in the field of education. Despite these opposing trajectories, in the past two decades novel forms of social movement–university relationships have emerged, with notable yet understudied models from Latin America. Purpose: This article examines whether and how higher education institutions can value knowledge based on the experiences of everyday citizens from the most marginalized groups. In what ways have social movements navigated universities? In what ways can social movements and university actors develop relationships to meet activists’ goals and promote more inclusive universities? Research Design: Drawing from ethnographic research and interviews, we analyze three examples of social movement–university relationships: (1) the National Program for Education in Areas of Agrarian Reform (PRONERA) through the Landless Workers’ Movement (MST); (2) the Popular University of Social Movements (UPMS); and (3) Emancipa University, born from Brazil’s largest popular education movement today. These Brazilian cases build on long histories of movement organizing in Latin America, alongside universities that have expanded access, yet often without conditions for “permanence,” belonging, and emancipatory education for the most marginalized students. Conclusions: We argue that it is possible for universities to uphold popular knowledge and for social movements to navigate universities to meet their goals. This article offers lessons for understanding how social movements navigate autonomy along with institutional ties, and where universities broaden notions of who the university is for and what kinds of knowledge can and should be upheld. The cases illustrate working within, outside of, and toward the university. These pathways show how the university shifts from “site of struggle” to “complicit in struggle,” in which movements set the terms for meaningful engagement with universities and create educational alternatives aligned with goals of social transformation.