Desigualdades de gênero e raça na universidade pública: trajetórias, silêncios e resistências na carreira docente da UFJF

Abstract

The increased presence of women in Brazilian higher education has impacted educational transformations in recent decades, reflecting changes in gender dynamics in society. However, although women have been the majority among graduates, masters, and doctoral degree holders for over two decades, they remain underrepresented in university teaching and, above all, in the most prestigious positions. This thesis analyzes gender and racial inequalities in the teaching career at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), seeking to understand the factors that sustain this asymmetry. Functional data indicate that men occupy 53.4% of permanent positions at UFJF, a proportion close to the national average (55%). However, in the highest positions, the inequality is accentuated: among full professors, two-thirds are men. The contrast between the broad qualification of women and their low presence at the top of their careers reveals a pattern in which merit criteria operate on unequal bases. The observed barriers permeate the daily dynamics of work and power relations. Women tend to concentrate in the early stages of their careers and in less recognized administrative roles, while decision-making spaces remain predominantly male. This inequality intensifies under an intersectional perspective: the presence of Black women is extremely low, reflecting the combination of sexism and racism in academia. Another factor identified by the research is the sexual division of labor and the burden of caregiving tasks. Female professors, especially mothers, dedicate more time to family responsibilities, which limits their opportunities for research, publication, and participation in scientific networks. This inequality is reinforced by the logic of academic hyperproductivity and by practices of symbolic violence and harassment that delegitimize women's career paths. In this sense, this work aims to produce a critical diagnosis of the conditions that sustain and continue to perpetuate these inequalities, articulating gender and race as central dimensions for understanding the organization of university space. By also considering the effects of the sexual division of labor, the burden of caregiving work, and practices of symbolic violence and harassment, the research demonstrates how the academic model, as it stands, impacts the advancement of women, especially Black women. The study was developed using mixed methods (data collection, survey, and interviews), which allowed for a combination of quantitative analysis and interpretation of lived experiences. The numbers reveal trends, but it is in the teachers' accounts that reality imposes itself most forcefully, highlighting the impact of inequalities on working conditions, mental health, retention, and career advancement. The thesis reveals that, more than correcting numerical imbalances, the challenge lies in transforming the institutional and cultural practices that sustain these asymmetries, promoting a diverse, inclusive university committed to gender and racial equity.