MOST CITED SOURCES OF INFORMATION IN EDUCATION ON THE RACIAL ISSUE: A SCIENTOMETRIC STUDY IN MINAS GERAIS UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

We seek to demonstrate which are the most cited sources in the theses and dissertations defended in the state of Minas Gerais, in institutions maintained by the Federal Government, which have as their theme the racial issue, racism and affirmative action in the area of education. To this end, we use scientometrics to externalize metric information. We conducted the research through the Catalog of Theses and Dissertations of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), and we used Microsoft Office Excel® to prepare spreadsheets. In Brazil, the relationships of subjects with each other and with the world attest to a deterioration in disinformation. It is essential to remember that Information Science has claimed its fundamental role in the promotion of science and technology and that it continues to perform its social function. The official Brazilian history is characterized by the erasure, subjugation and disinformation to the detriment of the black population, and reflecting how racism, as well as its forms of expression, is something intended in Information Science, being vital to complexify the informational practices of groups and individuals. Metric Information Studies excel in statistical properties in discovering cohesive relationships and principles to informational objects. Scientometrics is an example of a metric study of information, being able to measure the scientific notoriety of universities and research centers. The research universe comprised dissertations and theses defended between 2003 and 2021. We used the search terms, "racism"; "blacks"; "blackness"; "black movement"; "race relations"; "racial question"; "affirmative action"; "Quota Law", "Racial Quotas" and "Quotas". In all, 102 scientific communications and 7,061 sources were used. As a result, it was found that the most used sources were "Epistemologies of the South", followed by "Rediscussing miscegenation in Brazil: national identity versus black identity" and "Overcoming racism in school". The racial issue involves the entire Brazilian society and, in this social context of oppression, the actions promoted by groups, movements, and the academic community seek to demonstrate and confront the cruel face of racism. In this sense, knowing more relevant sources is important for the anti-racist struggle. We can contribute to the expansion of the theme in Information Science.