Surveiller et Punir, 50 years after: violence, discipline and punishment in Brazil

• In Event: Crime, Science and Politics WG Panel 1: Global Disciplines and Southern Perspectives in Criminology

Abstract

Fifty years after the first edition in France, Surveiller et Punir remains a fundamental contribution to the understanding of modern and contemporary punishment. The text is often regarded as the central axis of Michel Foucault’s conception of punishment, and its wide international circulation has led to both recognition and criticism, controversy, and trivialization. It is undeniable, however, that Surveiller et Punir has consistently established itself as a classic in various fields, and more specifically, in the area of the sociology of punishment. In Brazil, the book was translated in 1977, and since then, it has had a profound impact on discussions related to punishment in the country, both in academic and public spheres. While Foucault’s diagnosis of the "disciplinary society" was initially incorporated and later questioned in relation to the Brazilian experience, in recent years, spurred by newly available materials on the intellectual trajectory of the French philosopher, new works have emerged, even considering the historical differences between Europe and Brazil. The objective of this presentation is precisely to provide an overview of Brazilian studies that, in direct dialogue with Surveiller et Punir, investigate themes related to the functioning of criminal justice, the prison system, and the so-called "punitivism" in the country. There is considerable discussion about the need for studies in the field of the sociology of punishment to develop diagnoses that are not limited to the national and regional contexts of the Global North. In this sense, revisiting the impact of Surveiller et Punir in the Brazilian debate on punishment facilitates both the establishment of dialogue with predominant theories in the sociology of punishment and the highlighting of the peculiarities of the Brazilian context, along with the specificities of local researchers' analyses.

Authors

• Jade Gonçalves Roque, University of São Paulo

• Marcos César Alvarez, University of São Paulo

• Lucas e Silva Batista Pilau, University of São Paulo

• Maiara Corrêa, Center for the Studies Of Violence, University of São Paulo (NEV-USP)