Família, escola e terra: estudo sobre os investimentos escolares de famílias agricultoras da Quarta Colônia - RS

Abstract

The Fourth Colony of Italian Immigration is a region with a solid Italian cultural heritage, where family farming has long served as an economic and social cornerstone. In recent decades, financial, cultural, and social transformations have led to educational investments that prompted the migration of some rural inhabitants to other areas and brought notable changes to those remaining in contemporary rural settings. Against this backdrop, this research seeks to answer the question: How has access to education for children influenced the reproduction strategies of farming families in the Fourth Colony? To address this question, we established the following objectives: to investigate whether and how children's access to schooling has reshaped the reproduction strategies of farming families in the Fourth Colony during the second half of the 20th century. The research is further divided into specific objectives: (a) to analyze the establishment of schools, particularly rural schools, within the context of the municipalities’ development in the Fourth Colony; (b) to examine the social trajectories and socio-economic dynamics of the farming families surveyed in contemporary times; and (c) to explore how these families have invested in education and the social destinies of their members. The methodology employed in this study follows a qualitative-quantitative approach, incorporating semi-structured interviews with farming families from the Fourth Colony of Italian Immigration in Rio Grande do Sul. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and complemented by document analysis, field notes, and free observations, enabling a comprehensive examination of family trajectories. Among the 15 families interviewed, whose matriarchs and patriarchs are now in their seventies and eighties, two primary groups were identified based on their investment in their children’s education (cultural capital). Group I, comprising six families and 39 children, prioritized education by dedicating resources to ensure school access. Consequently, 20 children attained higher education and pursued careers across various fields, while eight remained in agriculture, with schooling limited to primary education. Conversely, Group II, encompassing nine families and 65 children, faced more significant challenges in securing educational opportunities for their children, channeling their investments into acquiring land and assets. Many children from this group took up low-skilled jobs outside agriculture or remained in farming with limited formal education. Only five children advanced to higher education, while 44 did not complete primary school. This analysis underscores that schooling was a decisive factor in determining whether individuals stayed or left the Fourth Colony, with most of those who continued farming having lower educational attainment. This pattern reinforces the perception that agricultural work demands little formal education. The findings highlight the need for inclusive educational policies tailored to rural life, ensuring equitable access to educational opportunities for all. The determination of many families to provide education for their children, despite significant challenges, underscores the critical role of education and the importance of supportive policies and initiatives to transform this reality, as education is a universal right.