Race Relations among University Students in Rio de Janeiro *

This chapter examines university students' perception of race relations in Brazilian society, according to their colour; the type of institutions the students attend—public or private; and their opinions on the adoption of means intended to change such relations. It also examines the majors offered most frequently and most demanded in Brazil and Rio de Janeiro. The majors with the greatest demand in Rio de Janeiro are: Medicine, Communication, Dentistry, Engineering, and Law; the majors offered most frequently in Rio de Janeiro are: Dentistry, Accounting, Education, Letters, and Administration. In a certain way "race" and gender are constitutive elements of university students' universe if one understands race and gender as social constructions and especially as principles for social classification. An observer of Brazilian society must certainly note that the discussion of race relations has for the time being become a more prominent theme in the national discourse.