Educação, inclusão e relações étnico-raciais: a inserção de negras e negros como bolsistas de produtividade do CNPq

Abstract

Throughout history, the Black population has seen its representation diminished across various social spheres. In response to this process, a movement of struggle and resistance led by Black individuals emerged and consolidated, culminating in the strengthening of the Black Movement (MN), which advocates for Black representation in all areas of society. In the educational realm, affirmative action policies represent a significant advancement. However, while they have expanded access to higher education, these policies focus predominantly on the entry of students and faculty; further measures are required to ensure retention and career progression, particularly within spaces of scientific prestige. Conducted within the Graduate Program in Education at the Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD) specifically under the Education and Diversity research line and linked to the Study and Research Group on Education and Information Technologies (GEPETIC), this study aims to analyze the presence of Black researchers among CNPq Productivity Grant recipients. It is a qualitative study employing a descriptive and analytical approach. Participants were organized into two main groups grant recipients and unsuccessful applicants which were further divided into four subgroups: Black grant recipients, non-Black grant recipients, Black applicants, and non-Black applicants. The sample comprised PQ (Research Productivity) and DT (Technological Development and Innovative Extension) grant recipients from 2022, as well as applicants for the DT category in the 2022 and 2023 calls for proposals. Initial identification of potential Black researchers was carried out through image analysis based on phenotypic characteristics, subsequently confirmed via self-declaration in questionnaires. In total, three questionnaires were sent to 85 researchers, yielding 60 responses. The results reveal a low presence of Black researchers among productivity grant recipients, as well as significant differences in the academic trajectories of the groups studied. Black researchers, particularly those who do not receive the grant, face a higher incidence of unfavorable socioeconomic conditions, more limited access to academic networks, partnerships, and research resources, and greater difficulty gaining entry into spheres of scientific recognition. The findings indicate that access to the research productivity grant does not depend solely on individual merit but also on unequal conditions accumulated throughout one's academic career conditions shaped by racial inequalities. It is concluded that there is a need to build an ecosystem of affirmative action policies that encompasses all stages of scientific training and career development, thereby helping to reduce racial inequalities in academia and informing the formulation of public policies, including the adoption of research oriented affirmative action measures.