A universidade privada na perspectiva de (ex) universitários que participam de coletivos

Abstract

What would be the contribution of the universities in the private sector to the political formation of its students who participate in political organizations? In this article, the authors analyze testimonies from social activists, which were obtained during the conduct of a broader work for a Master of Research degree, between 2017 and 2018. The testimonies suggest that the university contributed to political education, especially regarding the knowledge that circulates in them. However, relations are guided by authoritarianism and individualism, limiting a full political formation. The methodology on which the study is based is of a qualitative type, whose information was collected by analyzing the bibliography on the topic and the testimonies obtained through a semi-structured interview with thirteen university students and former students who took their undergraduate courses at universities headquartered in the Baixada Santista Metropolitan Region, at São Paulo State, in Brazil. In a scenario of attack on democracy, the authors considered it relevant to resume these statements, as they allow a reflection on the political formation process disjuncted from democratic experiences. Facing the restrictive processes to politics, education, science and knowledge, the authors bring to the debate the perspective of these university students and ex-students, aiming to contribute to the debate and the defense of the university as a right of all.