Defending the Brazilian university. Contemporary reflections based on the work of Florestan Fernandes

Abstract

The public university in Brazil has faced, since the economic crisis that began in 2014, many questioning and cutbacks. The criticisms use to be administrative and have taken over the social imaginary with the adhesion of public opinion. The current Brazilian government has potentiated this picture, expanding cutbacks and intensifying criticism with ideological elements and moral judgments regarding the university. To respond to this "assault" on the university, the authors carry out an analysis based on the book Public University: Reform or Revolution?, written in another historical context, but with theorizations and analyses that are applicable to the present moment. They make use of a bibliographical analysis and a survey of the media as well to highlight the public manifestations of the government about this issue. In conclusion, this article visualizes the contribution of Florestan Fernandes to the analysis of today's public university.