Abstract

RIBEIRO, Paula de Melo  and  COSTA, Carlos Alberto Ribeiro. State's racism, biopower and neglect: health portraits in brazilian history. Rev. Epos [online]. 2016, vol.7, n.1, pp. 74-91. ISSN 2178-700X.

This paper chooses as its theme, the intricate issue of so-called "neglected diseases". Nominated by national and international institutions as "diseases of developing countries" or "diseases of the tropics" – despite they do not obey geographical or temporal boundaries – these diseases are considered "neglected" because of the possibility of sustainable spending in resources to fighting, prevention or treatment, and, despite its viability, this spending not become accomplished. It is noticed, therefore, an apparent paradox, expressed by the political rationality of the current forms of facing these diseases: the State − that, in principle, should to promote and ensure the life of its population − acts neglecting certain diseases and allowing thousands of lives are lost. The "neglected diseases", taken as an "analyzer" − disruptive tool that, by giving visibility and utterability to established relations, allows questions and interventions – provides to suppose that such strategies, contradictories in principle, of "do live and let die" are, indeed, intrinsic operations, in relation with what Foucault called "the biopower". From the Brazilian socio-historical context − seized from the literature review of articles, books, papers and tabloids concerning the matter − this article intends therefore ask the intricate machine "to live and let die" on the "neglected diseases".

Keywords : neglected diseases; biopower; States's Racism.

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