On Structural Violence and Social Suffering Flashcards
Definition of “structural violence”
the way historically-situated political, economic, and institutional power directly affects people by way of restricted life choices (disproportionately affects the poor, marginalised, etc.)
a concept intended to inform the study of the social machinery of oppression
Social suffering
the consequence of structural violence; suffering caused by and conditional by society and social institutions
can take the form of existential malaises, chronic fatigue, sustained humiliations, social shame, poor mental and physical health, and worsening health outcomes
Definition of “agency”
the capacity to act, to make choices and decisions
can be constricted through racism, sexism, political violence, and poverty
Acéphie’s story
people in Washington DC decided to build a dam, which displaced Acéphie and her family from their home and livelihood in the fertile valley –> entrenched in poverty, she saw a relationship with the soldier Honorat as “a way out” (though he died soon thereafter) –> she could not return to school, so she became a housekeeper and became pregnant with another man’s child –> she lost her job and her relationship with the baby’s father –> she was diagnosed with AIDS shortly after giving birth and died
Chouchou’s story
Chouchou grew up tending the land under the Duraliers, who ruled Haiti through violence (Haitian who tried to flee for the US were deemed economic refugees and not asylum seekers, so they would be sent back to Haiti) –> like most Haitians, Chouchou supported the election of the pro-democratic leader Aristide, and felt anger, sadness, and fear after the military coup –> he made veiled comments about the coup, and was beaten and blacklisted by the military –> he was arrested a second time, tortured, and left for dead in a field
Definition of “medicalisation”
a social process through which poor health, which may have social origins, becomes individualised as a medical problem in need of medical/pharmaceutical treatment
it is up to the individual to be responsible for their own heath, regardless of the broader social, economic, and political contexts
Definition of “mystification”
oftentimes an unintentional consequence of medicalisation
the process by which the nature of society, social relations, power relations, and relations of exploitation are hidden away, and therefore out of reach of critique
this allows social, economic, and political orders to be left unchallenged and unchanged, which maintains the socio-economic status quo
social suffering can hence be explained away as individual “pathologies”
