Discursos y prácticas racistas en las experiencias de los estudiantes de la Facultad de Filosofía, Letras y Ciencias de la Educación de la Universidad de Cuenca

Abstract

This study is part of the research project “Racist Discourses and Practices in the Life Experiences of the Educational Community at the University of Cuenca” and seeks to examine how racism manifests among students in the Faculty of Philosophy, Literature, and Educational Sciences. The research adopts a qualitative-quantitative approach with a descriptive scope. Data collection was carried out through surveys and social cartography, allowing students to share their testimonies and perspectives on the concept and lived realities of racism.The findings indicate the existence of both subtle and overt forms of racial discrimination affecting Afro-descendant students, Indigenous peoples, and migrant students. These manifestations of racism are reflected in experiences of exclusion, silencing, and symbolic violence. Although institutional frameworks promoting equality and non discrimination are in place, the study reveals limited awareness of such policies and weak enforcement mechanisms for prevention and reporting.The study concludes that racism remains a persistent issue within the university. Consequently, there is an urgent need to implement critically reflective processes, faculty development programs, and comprehensive institutional policies that address ethnic and cultural diversity as transversal axes for fostering inclusive coexistence and advancing the goals of higher education.