VOCÊ sabe o que é NECROPOLÍTICA? | 08 minutos

Summary

In this thought-provoking video, the concept of 'necropolitics' is explored, addressing its origins and its connection to power dynamics and race. The speaker delves into the theories of Achille Mbembe, biopolitics, and Michel Foucault, examining the role of the modern state in controlling life and death. Through the lens of capitalism, colonialism, and state-sanctioned violence, the video discusses how certain populations are subjected to systemic death. The discourse expands into historical contexts like Nazism, the neoliberal era, and racism, exploring how economic changes affect state power and the regulation of life and death.

Takeaways

• 😀 The program emphasizes the importance of the 8-minute duration, framing it as a goal to be achieved while still focusing on the value of the exercise itself.
• 😀 The host encourages viewers to subscribe, like, share, and comment, stressing the importance of building a community of learners who share ideas and engage with content.
• 😀 Today's topic is necropolitics, a controversial subject gaining attention due to its association with violence, power, and the management of life and death.
• 😀 Necropolitics, as defined by Achille Mbembe, refers to the politics of death, and how power is exercised through the control of life and death in modern states.
• 😀 The script explores necropolitics' connection with biopolitics, as theorized by Michel Foucault, emphasizing how power manifests through forms of domination, subjection, and regulation.
• 😀 The modern state's power shifted from being the power to take life to the power to manage and sustain life, particularly in the context of capitalism and industrial society.
• 😀 The role of state institutions, such as health systems and basic sanitation, is crucial in the preservation of life in capitalist societies, underscoring the state's duty to provide for the welfare of its citizens.
• 😀 Racism is integral to the formation of modern states, enabling the acceptance of death for certain groups while extending life for others, particularly in the context of racialized social groups.
• 😀 Necropolitics, according to Mbembe, extends the logic of colonialism, where life is controlled and death is administered systematically, now affecting all regions of the world.
• 😀 The state of exception, as defined by Giorgio Agamben, is key to necropolitics. It refers to the suspension of rights and laws, enabling unchecked state power that often results in the systematic production of death.
• 😀 The analysis of necropolitics touches on the expansion of colonial logic, not just in the former colonies but within the modern state's exercise of power globally, particularly in relation to the neoliberal shift in the economy.

Q & A

What is necropolitics, and how does it relate to biopolitics?

Necropolitics, as defined by Achille Mbembe, refers to the ways in which political power regulates life and death, often deciding who gets to live and who is allowed to die. It builds on the concept of biopolitics, which was initially introduced by Michel Foucault and deals with the management of life, focusing on the state's control over individuals' life and death, particularly in the context of modern capitalist societies. Mbembe extends this idea by addressing the specific mechanisms of death and violence, particularly in marginalized communities.

What historical context is essential to understanding necropolitics?

Necropolitics can be understood in relation to the historical development of modern states and their connection to colonialism, racism, and the capitalist system. The 19th century brought about shifts in the way power was exercised, transitioning from a model focused on the power to take life (sovereignty) to one concerned with the power to regulate and sustain life (biopolitics). This change was accompanied by an increase in systemic violence and state-sanctioned death, particularly in colonized regions, and later, in capitalist societies.

How does Achille Mbembe relate necropolitics to racism?

Achille Mbembe argues that racism plays a crucial role in the formation of modern states, as it allows for the systematic production of death. Through racism, the state categorizes populations into those whose lives are worth preserving and those whose lives are expendable. This racialized logic of life and death is foundational to necropolitics, as it enables the marginalization and exclusion of certain groups, particularly along racial lines, often leading to their premature death or neglect.

How does necropolitics challenge traditional concepts of sovereignty?

Neoliberal and necropolitical frameworks challenge traditional notions of sovereignty, which historically centered on the state's ability to control life through laws and the use of violence. Mbembe's necropolitics highlights a shift where the state no longer just exercises power over life but also over death, enabling the suspension of rights and the systematic management of death as a tool of governance.

What role does the state play in regulating life and death in a capitalist society?

In a capitalist society, the state plays a significant role in regulating life through institutions like public health, transportation, and sanitation. These systems are essential for maintaining life, especially for the working class. However, the state also plays a role in deciding who receives care and resources, often disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. This regulatory function is aligned with necropolitics, where life is maintained or ended depending on socioeconomic and racial factors.

How does Mbembe connect necropolitics to colonial experiences?

Mbembe draws connections between necropolitics and colonialism, noting that the colonial experience was marked by a constant threat of death and the dehumanization of colonized peoples. He extends this idea to argue that necropolitics is not just a phenomenon of the past but an ongoing, global process, where the colonial logic of death and domination continues in contemporary societies, particularly in relation to racialized and impoverished populations.

What is the significance of state-sanctioned death in modern societies?

State-sanctioned death, as a key concept in necropolitics, is significant because it reflects the ways in which modern states exercise power through the deliberate maintenance of life for certain populations while allowing the death of others. This is particularly evident in the ongoing neglect of marginalized communities, where basic needs like sanitation, healthcare, and safety are not prioritized, leading to higher mortality rates among these groups.

What is the relationship between necropolitics and the neoliberal shift in global politics?

Necropolitics and the neoliberal shift are intertwined, with neoliberalism's emphasis on deregulation and privatization leading to increased inequality and social fragmentation. In this context, the state's role in regulating life becomes less about maintaining public welfare and more about managing those who are seen as surplus or unnecessary to the capitalist system. Necropolitics thus becomes a tool to manage and eliminate those who are marginalized or excluded from the capitalist order.

How does necropolitics relate to the concept of a 'state of exception'?

In necropolitics, the 'state of exception' refers to a situation where the state suspends legal norms and rights to justify the exercise of extreme forms of control, including violence and death. Giorgio Agamben's concept of the state of exception is pivotal in understanding necropolitics because it highlights how the suspension of rights allows the state to function outside the rule of law, often leading to the systemic elimination of certain populations without legal repercussions.

How does Mbembe's necropolitics theory connect with the theories of other philosophers like Marx and Arendt?

Mbembe's theory of necropolitics engages with other philosophical frameworks, including Marxism and Hannah Arendt's work. He critically examines how economic shifts, particularly the rise of neoliberal capitalism, change the way power is exercised. Marxism provides insight into the relationship between state power and economic exploitation, while Arendt's analysis of totalitarianism connects the mechanisms of death and violence in state systems, particularly in the context of colonialism and fascism, to the present-day workings of necropolitics.