Complementary Rather than Contradictory: Diversity and Excellence in Peer Review and Admissions in American Higher Education

Diversity is largely accepted as a positive value in American society. Nevertheless, policies to encourage diversity, e.g. affirmative action, language policies and legalising illegal immigrants, are still largely disputed, and often understood as having contradictory and largely negative consequences. The implementation of diversity is still seen as a threat to meritocracy, national cohesion, and democracy. This paper analyses how excellence and diversity are discussed in two academic decision-making processes: admission at two elite public universities and the distribution of competitive research fellowships. We argue that excellence and diversity are not alternative but additive considerations in the allocation of resources. The administrators and academics we studied factor diversity in as an additional consideration when decisions are to be made between applicants of roughly equal standing.Sociolog

The uncertain consequences of the interplay of old and new repertoires of social identity and inclusion

In this article, we explore the impact of the global cultural transformation that reconciles the values of equality and difference as parameters of the good life. Focusing on the way Brazilians perceive both equality and difference, we comment on the uncertain consequences of the interplay of old and new repertoires of social identity and inclusion. In particular, we look at the ethnoracial aspect, the most salient issue on the current debate about difference. Empirically, we analyze perceptions of inequality and difference among different segments of the Brazilian population. In particular, we focus on two issues. First, we discuss the interface of ethnoracial and national identifications in the country. Second, we explore perceptions about inequality and difference and their relationship, with special emphasis on attitudes towards affirmative action – the most traditional policy to take into account particular identities while distributing social resources – among distinct socioeconomic and racial groups

Ações afirmativas no Brasil e na África do Sul

In this paper I compare race-targeted affirmative action policies in higher education in Brazil and South Africa. A few questions guide this comparison. Why are countries with completely different racial structures and histories currently implementing similar policies to address racial inequality? And, more specifically, why did Brazil - a country with historically less rigid racial boundaries than South Africa - implement a more radical form of affirmative action than South Africa? How do these different national understandings of race influence the implementation and debates about race-targeted affirmative action? And, maybe more importantly, how do these "imported" policies influence the above mentioned national contexts?Neste artigo, comparo as políticas de ações afirmativas no ensino superior no Brasil e na África do Sul. Algumas perguntas orientam essa comparação: por que países com histórias e estruturas raciais completamente diferentes estão implementando políticas semelhantes para lidar com a desigualdade entre as raças? Mais especificamente, por que o Brasil, um país de fronteiras raciais menos rígidas do que a África do Sul, implantou uma forma mais radical de ação afirmativa? Como as diferentes compreensões nacionais do que é raça influenciam a adoção e as discussões sobre as ações afirmativas dirigidas às questões raciais? Por fim, e talvez mais importante, como essas políticas "importadas" influenciam os debates raciais no Brasil e na África do Sul

Economic and cultural determinants of elite attitudes toward redistribution

Previous studies have posited that elites are willing to advance the redistribution of income and social goods when the negative effects of inequality, such as crime and conflict, threaten their own interests. Although elites acknowledge these negative effects, their support for redistributive policies remains low throughout the Global South. We address this paradox using a multi-method research design. Drawing on 56 in-depth interviews with Brazilian political and economic elites, we document how, when discussing the negative effects of inequality, interviewees consistently characterized the poor as ignorant, irrational and politically incompetent. We use these findings to theorize about the negative impact of such perceptions of the poor on elite support for redistribution. We then test this relationship using survey data gathered from random samples of political and economic elites in Brazil, South Africa and Uruguay (N = 544). We find the relationship to be robust

Procesos y dilemas nacionales: la interacción entre viejos y nuevos repertorios de identidad social e inclusión

In this article, we explore the impact of the global cultural transformation that reconciles the values of equality and difference as parameters of the good life. We argue that the idea that social justice incorporates both the value of equality and the value ofdifference expresses a broad cultural transformation, one that poses new challenges society has to confront to deal with the social distribution issue. Moreover, we sustain that while this challenge is present everywhere, responses to it vary not only as a matter ofpolicy choice, but also as consequences of the fact that possibilities are circumscribed by the particular trajectories of nation and state building. While there are forces at play today that make us aware of fallacious conflations between nation and state, it remains relevant to look at national contexts as meaningful frameworks in order to understand what is going on and to explore possible alternatives to deal with emerging issues. Moreover, looking at ways people in different historical settings experience global transformations is relevant, not only to illuminate policy choices to deal with them, but also to enrich our theoretical understanding of the changes at play. The adoption of a historical sociologicalapproach contributes to illuminate particular national trajectories without loosing sight of possible commonalities that make it possible to contribute to the effort to reach general explanations.Taking into account the above, we focus on the way Brazilians perceive both equality and difference and comment on the uncertain consequences of the interplay of old and new repertoires of social identity and inclusion. In particular, we look at the ethno-racialaspect, the most salient issue in the current debate about difference. Empirically, we analyze perceptions of inequality and difference among different segments of the Brazilian population. We confer special attention to two issues: the relationship between race and national identification and support to affirmative action, the most traditional policy to take into account particular identities while distributing social resources. First, we find that in Brazil racial and national identification do not seem to be in conflict. Second, wefind that most Brazilians approve racially-targeted affirmative action with no significant different according to racial identification but with significant differences according to socio-economic differentiationsEl artículo tiene como telón de fondo el proceso global de transformación cultural que introduce el concepto según el cual tanto la igualdad como la diferencia son componenteslegítimos de la idea de “buena-vida”. El argumento central del artículo destaca que, a medida que el ideal de justicia contemporáneo incorpora estos dos valores (igualdad y diferencia), permite una transformación cultural de gran alcance, al punto deque esta reubica bajo nuevos parámetros la cuestión de la distribución social de bienes y valores. El trabajo plantea también que, si bien ese reto de la reconfiguración de la idea de justicia convoca a toda la sociedad en su amplitud, la variabilidad de las respuestas no se limita a una cuestión de elección entre alternativas de política pública. Más bien, las opciones disponibles resultan ser determinadas también por las trayectorias particulares de construcción de los Estados y de las naciones. Si bien hoy en día somos testigos de la fuerza que nos reitera lo falaz de todo atajoconceptual que favorezca la confusión entre las nociones de Estado y nación, la mirada a los contextos nacionales permite mantener un lente privilegiado para la comprensión del cambio y la exploración de alternativas para enfrentar temas y asuntos emergentes. Másaún, la perspectiva que analiza la forma en que diferentes grupos humanos experimentan la transformación global, según los diferentes contextos históricos, no solo aclara las opciones de política pública, sino que enriquece nuestra comprensión de esas mismas transformaciones. De igual forma, el artículo sustenta que la adopción de una perspectiva analítica histórico-sociológica permite la comprensión de las trayectorias nacionales particulares sin dejar de enfocarse en los posibles elementos comunes que deriven en la búsqueda de explicaciones generales. Se discuten las percepciones de los brasileros acerca de la igualdad y la diferencia yse analizan las consecuencias inciertas de la interacción entre viejos y nuevos repertorios de identidad e inclusión social. Para ello, la discusión privilegia el aspecto etno-racial, que es el que más se destaca en el debate actual. Empíricamente, el análisis se enfoca en las percepciones acerca de la igualdad y la diferencia entre distintos segmentos de la población brasileña. Dos cuestiones merecen atención especial: la interfase de las identidades etno-raciales y nacionales en el país y el apoyo otorgado a las acciones afirmativas, —la opción tradicional para desarrollar políticas incluyentes frente a identidades específicas—, mientras al mismo tiempo se lleva a cabo una redistribución de recursos sociales. Enprimer lugar, estos análisis no señalan la existencia de conflictos significativos en la forma como los brasileros concilian sus identidades raciales y nacionales. En segundo lugar, encuanto a las políticas de acción afirmativa, no hemos encontrado diferencias significativas en las opiniones de aquellos que se identifican como negros o blancos, pero encontramosdiferencias entre los distintos grupos socioeconómicos.O artigo tem como pano de fundo o processo global de transformação cultural que introduz a ideia segundo a qual igualdade e diferença são ambas componentes legítimasde um ideal normativo esposado pela sociedade. Salienta que, na medida em que o ideal de justiça contemporâneo incorpora esses dois valores (igualdade e diferença), assistimos a uma mudança significativa no plano cultural, e que esta coloca em novos termos a questão da distribuição social de bens e valores. Argumenta também que, embora esse novo desafio se coloque para toda a sociedade, a variabilidade das respostas a ele não se limitaa uma questão de escolha entre alternativas de policy. As opções disponíveis são também circunscritas pelas trajetórias particulares de construção dos estados nacionais. Se, por um lado, observamos processos históricos que mais e mais desnaturalizam a fusão entreestado e nação, permanece crucial levar em conta os contextos nacionais tanto para entender as mudanças em processo como para melhor identificar as alternativas de ação que se apresentam em diferentes contextos. Os autores sustentam também que a adoção de uma perspectiva analítica histórico-sociológica contribuiu para iluminar trajetórias nacionais particulares, sem perder de vista as possíveis comunalidades que permitem contribuir com a busca de explicações gerais. O artigo discute as percepções dos brasileiros sobre a igualdade e a diferença enfatizando que permanecem incertas as consequências da interação entre velhos e novosrepertórios de identidade e inclusão social. Para tanto, a discussão privilegia o aspecto etnorracial, que é o que mais se destaca no debate atual. Empiricamente, a análise se volta para as percepções sobre igualdade e diferença entre distintos segmentos da populaçãobrasileira. Duas questões merecem atenção especial: a interface das identidades etnorraciais e nacionais no país e atitudes relativas à política de ações afirmativas, a opção mais tradicional para se contemplar identidades particulares na distribuição de recursossociais. Nossas análises não encontraram conflitos significativos na forma como brasileiros conciliam suas identidades raciais e nacionais. Com relação às políticas de ação afirmativa, não encontramos diferenças significativas nas opiniões daqueles que se identificam como negros ou brancos, mas encontramos diferenças entre os distintos grupos socioeconômicos

Exposição museológica inclusiva: o caso do Museu de Arqueologia Regional da FCT-UNESP, Presidente Prudente, SP

Este artigo busca refletir sobre a acessibilidade em museus ao analisar a contribuição de uma exposição arqueológica tátil para o aprendizado sobre aspectos da cultura Guarani. Para tanto, apresenta resultados de uma experiência prática vivenciada por monitor e visitantes cegos, desenvolvida durante visita monitorada à exposição organizada pelo Museu de Arqueologia Regional da FCT-UNESP, campus de Presidente Prudente, SP. A visita consistiu em caminhamento com mediação monitorada pela área da exposição de longa duração do museu e experiência tátil em exposição previamente preparada pelos pesquisadores do museu com a participação de um acadêmico cego. A experiência com o acadêmico ocorreu em um período de seis meses, com atividades de seleção de materiais, descrição das peças, confecção das etiquetas de identificação e treinamento para monitoria. Os visitantes, também cegos, tiveram contato com a exposição por um período de 2 horas, quando puderam conhecer por meio da experiência tátil, aspectos da cultura Guarani por meio das características de fabricação de vasilhas cerâmicas. A experiência comprovou ser possível garantir a acessibilidade da comunicação museal por meio de exposições previamente pensadas e preparadas para tal finalidade.This article seeks to reflect on accessibility in museums by analyzing the contribution of a tactile archaeological exhibition to learning about aspects of Guarani culture. To this end, it presents results of a practical experience lived by a monitor and blind visitors, developed during a monitored visit to the exhibition organized by the Regional Archeology Museum of FCT-UNESP, campus of Presidente Prudente, SP. The visit consisted of walking with mediation monitored by the museum's long-term exhibition area and tactile experience in an exhibition previously prepared by the museum's researchers with the participation of a blind academic. The experience with the academic took place over a period of six months, with activities for selecting materials, describing parts, making identification tags and training for monitoring. Visitors, also blind, had contact with the exhibition for a period of 2 hours, when they were able to learn about aspects of the Guarani culture through the tactile experience through the characteristics of making ceramic vessels. Experience has shown that it is possible to guarantee the accessibility of museum communication through exhibitions previously thought out and prepared for this purpose

Structure–Activity Relationship of Piplartine and Synthetic Analogues against Schistosoma mansoni and Cytotoxicity to Mammalian Cells

Schistosomiasis, caused by helminth flatworms of the genus Schistosoma, is an infectious disease mainly associated with poverty that affects millions of people worldwide. Since treatment for this disease relies only on the use of praziquantel, there is an urgent need to identify new antischistosomal drugs. Piplartine is an amide alkaloid found in several Piper species (Piperaceae) that exhibits antischistosomal properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the structure–function relationship between piplartine and its five synthetic analogues (19A, 1G, 1M, 14B and 6B) against Schistosoma mansoni adult worms, as well as its cytotoxicity to mammalian cells using murine fibroblast (NIH-3T3) and BALB/cN macrophage (J774A.1) cell lines. In addition, density functional theory calculations and in silico analysis were used to predict physicochemical and toxicity parameters. Bioassays revealed that piplartine is active against S. mansoni at low concentrations (5⁻10 µM), but its analogues did not. In contrast, based on 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and flow cytometry assays, piplartine exhibited toxicity in mammalian cells at 785 µM, while its analogues 19A and 6B did not reduce cell viability at the same concentrations. This study demonstrated that piplartine analogues showed less activity against S. mansoni but presented lower toxicity than piplartine.This work was partially supported by grants from the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP grant number 2016/22488-3), the authors are grateful to CAPES/FAPEPI for the scholarship granted. ACM is grateful to FAPESP (2014/02282-6). YPM is grateful to CNPq (Grant 302674/2010-1). Financial Support: FCT (Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia) by grant no. UID/MULTI/04378/2013 POCI/01/0145/FEDER/007728, Fapesp (2014/50316-7). The work at UCIBIO/Requimte was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) with financial support from FCT/MEC through national funds and co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020. Alexandra Plácido is grateful to FCT by her grant SFRH/BD/97995/2013, financed by POPH–QREN–Tipologia 4.1–Formação Avançada, subsidized by Fundo Social Europeu and Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio