Abstract
Considering that judicialization is a recent social construct, this article aims to problematize the notion of life judicialization in social welfare policies based on fragments of two works of the Brazilian literature: Vidas SecasRamos, G. (1973). Vidas secas (31 ed.). Martins., by Graciliano Ramos, and Conto de EscolaAssis, M. de. (2007). Conto de escola. In J. Gledson (Org.), 50 Contos de Machado de Assis (pp. 326-333). Companhia das Letras., by Machado de Assis. The process of life disqualification and criminalization is analyzed in the light of the Foucauldian concepts of government and the will to knowledge, as well as Brazilian authors addressing the theme. Judicialization is understood as the process of life regulation by legal strategies and provisions, normalizing daily practices. Such mechanism is intrinsically articulated with the government of others, especially in the field of Public Policy. Together, they constitute modes of punishment that go beyond the legal scope, producing asymmetrical power relations characterized by the process of life judicialization, medicalization, and pathologization. Finally, the discussion offers some propositions to resist life judicialization in social assistance, such as adopting micropolitical actions and forming collectives between workers and users.
Keywords:
Social Assistance; Judicialization; Poverty; Public Policies