Feminização e precarização da docência na Educação Infantil em Araguari-MG: expressões da divisão sexual do trabalho sob a lógica do capital

Abstract

This thesis, developed within the Work, Society, and Education research line of the Pos Graduate Program in Education, aims to understand the process of feminization of the teaching profession and the labor relations of teaching in Early Childhood Education, with a focus on the municipality of Araguari, Minas Gerais, and on the broader reality of Basic Education in Brazil. The research analyzes how capital has appropriated female labor power and how this appropriation is connected to the reproduction of the patriarchal capitalist system, highlighting the economic, historical, and cultural dimensions of the feminization of teaching. The analysis is conducted mainly through a Marxist-feminist approach, considering the gender dichotomy and the sexual division of labor as central axes for understanding labor relations within the capitalist system. The research problematizes the symbolic and material devaluation of female teachers, addressing the effects of precarization, professional invisibility, and the social expectations imposed on women’s work. The study combines bibliographic review and documentary analysis, articulating theoretical elements and quantitative data to describe and analyze the contemporary configuration of female teaching work. It seeks to understand not only the numerical predominance of women in Early Childhood Education but also the historical, economic, and cultural mechanisms that shape the organization of work, influence the devaluation of professionals, and reproduce gender inequality. Through this investigation, it becomes evident that the feminization of the teaching profession is the result of complex and structuring processes of exploitation and subordination, articulating economic interests and patriarchal social norms. This understanding is essential for reflecting on public policies and strategies that promote greater recognition, appreciation, and equity in teaching work.