Ethnic-racial relations and teacher training: The pioneering of the Pedagogy Course at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora

El pionerismo del curso de Pedagogía en la Universidad Federal de Juiz de Fora

Abstract

This article investigated the theme of Ethnic-Racial Relations (ERRs) in the Pedagogy Course Pedagogical Projects (PPCs) of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), in effect in 2023. The relevance of the study stems from the pioneering implementation of ERRs at this institution. The objective was to identify the legal documents that underpin the mandatory inclusion of ERRs in teacher education and to analyze the presence of this theme in the active Pedagogy curricula published in 2011 and 2022. The investigation examined: (a) the presence of the terms “Ethnic-Racial Relations,” “Law No. 10,639/2003,” “Culture,” “Race,” and “Afro-Brazilian” in the PPCs; (b) which subjects addressed ERRs; and (c) the mandatory or elective nature of these subjects and their syllabi. Grounded in Law No. 10,639/2003, the results indicate that, since 2011, the course included two mandatory courses addressing ERRs, with an expansion from 2017, through the creation of new subjects and the inclusion of content and references, although marked by setbacks in certain syllabi. The legislation was not explicitly referenced in the documents analyzed. We conclude that, despite institutional commitment, the approach to ERRs is not mandatory in all teacher education programs, with the Pedagogy course being a pioneer in valuing cultural diversity.