Civic Scientific Literacy in Brazil

This presentation will present a brief outline of the few national and regional surveys performed in Brazil regarding scientific literacy. In particular, the current status of scientific literacy in Brazil will be discussed by means of data available from the second national survey, carried out in 2007, twenty years after the first one. Also, recent data available from a survey performed in the state of São Paulo will be shown and compared with some Ibero-American cases. The national survey included structured questionnaire applied to a statistically representative sample of the Brazilian population above 16 years old. In brief, Brazilians get very little S&T information from the media, fact that reflects the incipient presence of science related TV and radio programs or newspaper sections. The results reflect the huge social inequality in the country and a significant social exclusion from opportunities, goods and information on science and technology.