The symbolic reproduction of inequalities between women and men in Brazil

Abstract

This article deals with collective representations (Durkheim, 1996) or social representations (Moscovici, 2003) with a gender perspective (Scott, 1986) on matters concerning the public and private spaces (Saffioti, 1999; Fougeyrollas-Schwebel, 2009). From compilation and analysis of data from the National Survey "Brazilian women and gender in public and private spaces”, it was sought: a) to know the general diffusion of the representations; b) compare the feminine and masculine opinions, in their similarities and differences. The representations reinforce the role of women as responsible for reproductive and unpaid work and for men as providers of the home and active in public space, as demonstrated, for example, for the distrust manifested by the interviewees about the political-administrative capacity of women and the masculine ability in perform household chores.

social representations; symbolic violence; gender; public space; private area