REPRESENTAÇÕES SOCIAIS DE ESTUDANTES UNIVERSITÁRIAS SOBRE A PARTICIPAÇÃO FEMININA NO CURSO DE QUÍMICA

Abstract

This master's research aimed to analyze the social representations of university students studying Chemistry regarding women's participation in the area of exact sciences, especially in the Chemistry course at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. The aim was to analyze this phenomenon through based on the theoretical bases of the theory of Social Representations, among other possible dialogues with authors who discuss and research the topic in evidence. As a problem, we asked: What is the representation of women in Exact Sciences courses, especially in Chemistry? As a hypothesis, even given the advances and participation of women in science, the Chemistry course under discussion here, there are many questions that still need to be asked and investigated to answer the place that women occupy in society. To achieve this objective, qualitative research was chosen, which was carried out through a bibliographical survey at the Brazilian Portal of Scientific Publications in Open Access (OASISBR) and the Bank of Theses and Dissertations of the Coordination of Personnel Improvement of Higher Education (CAPES), from 2012 to 2022. In addition, data made available by the Institute of Chemistry (INQUI) of UFMS on the number of students entering and completing the bachelor's and degree courses in Chemistry at UFMS were analyzed, between the years 2014 to 2022, according to the gender of these students. Subsequently, an online questionnaire was prepared, which was sent and answered by 12 academics from this course at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. A semi-structured interview was also carried out with 3 students from the same course, which was analyzed using the method of content analysis. From the results obtained, it was evident, both in the questionnaire and in the interviews, that the students interviewed understand their place in society well, overcome representations that make them inferior, fight for this place and indicate some important points that still need to be seen. for further progress, but the literature and research we have shown still makes it clear that progress needs to be made in several aspects. It can be said that women seek to reach spaces that were previously seen as masculine, such as the chemistry area, but there are still obstacles, such as the lack of time to dedicate to studies, working hours, household chores, difficulties during pregnancy, raising children, sometimes as a single mother, as well as the need to work outside and at home and financial issues, factors that often prevent them from reaching certain spaces that still need to be occupied by women.