Luciano Mendes

Health and Safety at Work: Analysis from the Brazilian Documentary film “Flesh and Bone”

Background The objective of this article is to make some analysis on the process of work and accidents occurring in slaughterhouses, evidenced in the Brazilian documentary film called Flesh and Bone. As such, it was necessary to discuss an alternative theoretical concept in relation to theories about health and safety at work. This alternative discussion focuses on the concepts of biopower and biopolitics. Methods The use of audiovisual elements in research is not new, and there is already a branch of studies with methodological and epistemological variations. The Brazilian documentary Flesh and Bone was the basis for the research. The analysis of this documentary will be carried out from two complementary perspectives: “textual analysis” and “discourse analysis.” Results Flesh and Bone presents problems related to health and safety at work in slaughterhouses because of the constant exposure of workers to knives, saws, and other sharp instruments in the workplace. The results show that in favor of higher production levels, increased overseas market sales, and stricter quality controls, some manufacturers resort to various practices that often result in serious injuries, disposal, and health damages to workers. Conclusion Flesh and Bone, by itself, makes this explicit in the form of denunciation based on the situation of these workers. What it does not make clear is that, in the context of biopolitics, the actions aimed at solving these problems or even reducing the negative impacts for this group of workers, are not efficient enough to change such practices.

Possibilidades e Limites das Ações de Responsabilidade Social em Cooperativas

O objetivo deste trabalho foi compreender as acoes que resultam do Projeto de Responsabilidade Social desenvolvido por uma cooperativa, com o intuito de verificar se sao acoes de responsabilidade social ou obrigacoes cooperativistas. Para tanto, foi realizado um percurso teorico sobre cooperativismo e a responsabilidade social, servindo como base para atingir o objetivo proposto. Foi utilizada como analise dos dados, a tecnica de analise de discurso, por ser o discurso parte do processo de construcao social da realidade. Foram realizadas entrevistas com os atores envolvidos com o projeto social da cooperativa, buscando compreender, na visao dos atores, que pressupostos guiam e produzem sentido no discurso sobre a responsabilidade social, estabelecendo uma relacao entre esse discurso e os principios que guiam as discussoes sobre o cooperativismo. Analisando os dados coletados nesta pesquisa, descobriu-se que, quando as cooperativas implementam um projeto de responsabilidade social, deixam de fortalecer o proprio cooperativismo, e que a responsabilidade social esta intimamente ligada a um contexto empresarial, com o intuito de dirimir os problemas sociais. Os resultados da pesquisa demonstram que o projeto de responsabilidade social desenvolvido nesse estudo de caso fere os principios cooperativistas.

Tecnologias Sociais, Biopolíticas e Biopoder: Reflexões Críticas

Social technologies (STs), as actions aimed at improving the quality of life of various social groups that are outside the market or the economic system, aim at a new non-predatory development model. Faced with the idea of improving quality of life, these technologies end up obtaining a diffusion with no limitation, contributing more to the systems maintenance than to the final solution of social problems. Having this in mind, the main objective of this theoretical essay is discussing how often STs end up as a panacea and instrument of power relations, working on the justification and intensification of new domination forms in contemporary societies. In order to think through the diffusion of these technologies, first, there emerged the need to deepen understanding of what STs are. Then, the purpose was exploring Michel Foucaults viewpoint on the biopolicies and biopower and interweaving, in this discussion, STs.

The market for barkers and contributions to local development of a city

El objetivo de este articulo es destacar las implicaciones de los vendedores del mercado, el desarrollo local de la ciudad de Tres Lagoas, MS, con el fin de aportar elementos que relativizan la mirada en el trabajo de los vendedores ambulantes. La investigacion se caracteriza por tecnicas cualitativas de investigacion. Los resultados muestran que el vendedor de mercado en la region es de suma importancia, tanto en el suministro de productos que no se encuentran en el mercado formal, como la posibilidad de integrar a un numero de personas al mercado de trabajo.The objective of this article is to highlight the implications of the market peddlers in local development of the city of Três Lagoas, MS, in order to bring elements that relativized the look on the work of street vendors. The research is characterized as qualitative research techniques. The results show that the market barker in the region is of paramount importance, both in the supply of products not found in the formal market, such as the possibility of integrating a number of individuals to the labor market.

O mercado de camelôs e as contribuições ao desenvolvimento local de uma cidade

El objetivo de este articulo es destacar las implicaciones de los vendedores del mercado, el desarrollo local de la ciudad de Tres Lagoas, MS, con el fin de aportar elementos que relativizan la mirada en el trabajo de los vendedores ambulantes. La investigacion se caracteriza por tecnicas cualitativas de investigacion. Los resultados muestran que el vendedor de mercado en la region es de suma importancia, tanto en el suministro de productos que no se encuentran en el mercado formal, como la posibilidad de integrar a un numero de personas al mercado de trabajo.The objective of this article is to highlight the implications of the market peddlers in local development of the city of Três Lagoas, MS, in order to bring elements that relativized the look on the work of street vendors. The research is characterized as qualitative research techniques. The results show that the market barker in the region is of paramount importance, both in the supply of products not found in the formal market, such as the possibility of integrating a number of individuals to the labor market.

Los vendedores callejeros y las contribuciones al desarrollo local de una ciudad

El objetivo de este articulo es destacar las implicaciones de los vendedores del mercado, el desarrollo local de la ciudad de Tres Lagoas, MS, con el fin de aportar elementos que relativizan la mirada en el trabajo de los vendedores ambulantes. La investigacion se caracteriza por tecnicas cualitativas de investigacion. Los resultados muestran que el vendedor de mercado en la region es de suma importancia, tanto en el suministro de productos que no se encuentran en el mercado formal, como la posibilidad de integrar a un numero de personas al mercado de trabajo.The objective of this article is to highlight the implications of the market peddlers in local development of the city of Três Lagoas, MS, in order to bring elements that relativized the look on the work of street vendors. The research is characterized as qualitative research techniques. The results show that the market barker in the region is of paramount importance, both in the supply of products not found in the formal market, such as the possibility of integrating a number of individuals to the labor market.