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Eliza: the journey and strategy from an outsider to survive within Mathematics

Abstract

The current work intends to give visibility to the story of a poor black woman, who has broken the triple oppression related to her gender, color, and social status, as well as breaking the constraints of social representations that impose career choices based on their gender. Thereby, this article introduces the first PhD in Mathematics from Bahia, and one of the firsts in Brazil, the PhD in algebra – Eliza Maria Ferreira Veras da Silva – a woman who can be recognized as a “black warrior”. Therefore, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the Professor, which were submitted to the analytical method of speech according to the French standard. The analysis revealed discursive practices that passed through the daily known mathematics, besides the resistance methods used by her in an academic field still androcentric. Thus, showing the journey of a poor black woman, who stood out in the mathematics field, contributes a lot to recognize and appreciate the scientist, as well as reveals an important reference to the new generations of women, who aspire to join the mathematics field.

Gender; Race; Social Class; Mathematics

UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação Matemática Avenida 24-A, 1515, Caixa Postal 178, 13506-900 Rio Claro - SP Brasil - Rio Claro - SP - Brazil
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