Biopolítica e violência cultural : um estudo de caso do trabalho infantil na Nigéria

Abstract

This study aimed to examine whether the concepts of biopolitics proposed by Giorgio Agamben and cultural violence articulated by Johan Galtung contribute to understanding the high rates of human trafficking for child labor in Nigeria. A qualitative analysis was conducted through a descriptive case study, utilizing data collected from reports and relevant literature on the subject, covering the period from 2000 to 2024. The findings indicate that Agamben’s theoretical framework on the marginalization of life can significantly inform research in this field, given the context of precarization and dehumanization experienced by the victims. Galtung’s concept of cultural violence provides a valuable perspective for analyzing the cultural factors that legitimize child labor in Nigeria. However, based on an analysis of Convention No. 182 and the Palermo Protocol, it becomes evident that, while the Nigerian state demonstrates a strong commitment to human rights protection interventions, the national implementation of these norms is inadequate, failing to account for the unique structural and cultural complexities of the country.