Human rights and(in) biopolitics

a critical study based on the work of Michel Foucault

Abstract

This article concerns the relationship between Human Rights and biopolitics, according to reflections based on the work of Michel Foucault. To establish such a relationship and deepen the analysis of the encounter between biopolitics and human rights, it is importante to analyze the courses 'Birth of Biopolitics' and 'Security, Territory, Population'. For, in addition to this effort being important to understand the relationship presented, it also contributes to facilitating the understanding of Foucault's work on the subject, as well as for studies on the problems and dynamics of the power regime of biopolitics today. What is proposed is to present the starting point for the study of these themes. This, by outlining some issues of Human Rights, bearing in mind that biopolitics is crucial to the affirmation and expansion of these rights. From one end, with biopolitics there is a transformation that affects Human Rights, as they are capable of defining humanity and establishing the legitimate space of politics, is the ‘biopolitics of human rights’. On the other end, it is possible to question a certain governmentality of Human Rights in the face of the current political scenario, while freedom is managed and new domains of social life are reached by biopolitics, they are the ‘Human Rights of biopolitics’.

Keywords: Biopolitics; Human rights; Michel Foucault; Power.