From the Nation-Building Debate to the Bolsa Família Program

An examination of struggles over race and gender in contemporary Brazil, as reflected in conflicts over a national social welfare program.

Bolsa Familia was a social welfare program launched in Brazil in 2003 that made cash payments to poor families, provided they kept their children in school and got them vaccinated. Over time, the program became controversial, intertwined with struggles over race and gender, and President Jair Bolsonaro canceled it in 2021. This book examines the discourse around the program and its effects, illuminating conflicts over national identity and the roles of sexism and racism in Brazil.