Equilibrando maternidade e carreira: desafios e perspectivas das docentes na Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul

Abstract

This dissertation, defended in 2025 by Pamela Marmentini Corrêa in the Professional Graduate Program in Education at the Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul (UFFS) - Erechim Campus, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Sinara München, investigated the impacts of motherhood on the professional trajectory of female teachers, based on sensitive listening to teachers who reconcile academic life with the demands of motherhood. Part of the “Research in Non-Formal Education: Political-Social Practices” line of research, the study adopted a qualitative approach, combining semi-structured interviews with 16 female teachers who are mothers, analysis of Lattes (2009-2024), and a literature review in the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações -BDTD) and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES), using descriptors such as “mothers”, “higher education”, and “women in research”. Approved by the Ethics Committee (Opinion No. 7313394), the methodology respected anonymity, confidentiality, and the Brazilian General Data Protection Law (Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados - LGPD). The interviewees' reports revealed structural, emotional, and institutional barriers, such as the overload resulting from double or triple shifts; feelings of guilt for not meeting academic or maternal expectations; the absence of institutional support policies (such as daycare centers or flexible schedules); and persistent gender inequality in family responsibilities and positions of power. Data from the 2022 Higher Education Census reinforce this scenario, indicating that women represent 59.1% of enrollments but are a minority in leadership positions, highlighting the “scissors effect” and the “glass ceiling.” Analysis of Lattes curricula revealed variations in scientific production, with declines followed by post-leave recoveries, and a predominance of bibliographic activities on management. In contrast, female professors develop resistance strategies, such as building solidarity networks (including grandparents, nannies, and support groups), self-care practices (therapies, physical activities), strategic career and family life planning, and activism for institutional change. These actions, often individual, consolidate themselves as a collective cause, demanding the recognition of motherhood as a legitimate part of the academic trajectory. The theoretical framework, based on authors such as Marilena Chauí, Jacqueline Leta, Elisabeth Badinter, and Simone de Beauvoir, problematizes motherhood as a social construct and criticizes the academic productivism logic - intensified by the pandemic - which exacerbates inequalities. The educational product, a guide with recommendations, proposes ways to make universities more equitable and welcoming, including the implementation of university daycare centers, reduced workloads for mothers, formal recognition of motherhood in Lattes, the creation of support groups, and continuing education on gender issues. The research contributes significantly to the debate on gender equality in science, reinforcing the need for public and university policies that recognize and value the plurality of maternal experiences in higher education. Among the limitations, the local focus stands out, suggesting future investigations into student mothers, the effectiveness of institutional policies, and male perspectives on parenthood in academia.