Medicalização da educação: mapeando a produção acadêmica

Abstract

This article aims to outline a mapping of theses and dissertations produced in graduate programs in Brazilian universities on "medicalization of education" and, as appropriate, discuss the main concepts that supported the analysis of the issue raised in the work. The survey was conducted in the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations - BDTD survey and located eleven pieces, with a thesis and ten dissertations. The first works located with the words "medicalization" and "education" in the title and abstract were in 2008. The works comprised in the period 2008-2013, were described briefly in order to enhance the theoretical and methodological frameworks, types of research conducted and the main concepts used in the analysis of the "medicalization of education" process. The survey research of academic production have been highly valued in recent years as a tool to know what has been produced on a given topic and, from there, seeking what still requires research. To understand the process of "medicalization of education", which can be understood as a reduction of complexes biologicist learning problems involving cultural, political, economic and other factors, the authors of the papers surveyed used predominantly concepts of the philosopher Michel Foucault as "disciplinary power", "biopower" and "biopolitics". The work concentrated in the Southeast and prevailed in universities UNICAMP and USP. In terms of areas of knowledge, this survey found that the issue is being worked on, from 2008, predominantly in the areas of Medical Sciences and Psychology. Therefore, it is concluded that, despite the studies present different nuances in their analysis of the "medicalization of education", all showed an attitude of critical confrontation of this ongoing process today. Another highlight is the need for more studies on the topic in the area of Education.