Mulheres na história da matemática: trajetórias, contribuições e barreiras ao reconhecimento

Abstract

This study examines the trajectory of women in the history of mathematics from a critical perspective that rejects the naturalization of their invisibility. It proceeds from the hypothesis that the low female presence in established records stems not from intellectual inadequacy, but from structural mechanisms governing access, retention, and recognition within the scientific field. Drawing on a literature review and an analysis of Brazilian academic output—particularly recent theses and dissertations—the study investigates how this erasure has historically taken shape and how it is reconfigured in contemporary forms of knowledge production. The analysis links the silencing of figures such as Hypatia of Alexandria to current dynamics affecting female researchers, highlighting the persistent impact of structural sexism and institutional barriers that limit women’s advancement and visibility. It is observed that, despite the growing number of studies on the subject, the fragmented nature of this research hinders its consolidation as an epistemological field, thereby reproducing—at a different level—the very logic of marginalization it seeks to expose. The study argues that overcoming this situation requires not only equity policies but also a re-examination of the criteria guiding the validation and dissemination ofscientific knowledge. It concludes that addressing gender inequalities in mathematics demands actions that expand women’s access, retention, recognition, and valuation within scientific production, thereby fostering a more diverse and equitable construction of knowledge.