The place in leprosy and the deconstruction of the ?biopolitical monster? on dictatorial environments (Argentina, 20th Century)

MIRANDA, MARISA A.

Lovaina

Conferencia; Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation (SMHF) and Damien Fund bajo los auspicios de la KU Leuven (Catholic University of Leuven; 2017

Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation (SMHF) and Damien Fund bajo los auspicios de la KU Leuven (Catholic University of Leuven

As it is well known, the Argentinian democracy suffered several ruptures during the 20th Century generated by dictatorial regimes inspired by a conjunction between political conservatism and economic liberalism. These governments, sometimes alternated with brief periods of "devalued" democracy, contributed to create a ?State of Exception?. In this sense, it should be pointed out the constant dissolution of the Parliament and the sanction of spurious laws by the Executive Power whose implications went beyond health issues. In fact, it may be noted that on many occasions the regulation of health issues has masked an all-encompassing will to implement a (bio) power which using the management of some kinds of pathology affirmed the exclusion of an "other" considered an entity similar to a pathologized monster.In this sense, there are many facts in the history of the legal regulation of leprosy in Argentina that we seek to deconstruct in this work. Beyond the foundational texts constituted by the sanction of Law 11.359 (1926) and its amendment, 11.410 (1928), we are interested in advancing in time and focusing on laws 17.711 (1968) and 22.964 (1983). Both have introduced substantial changes in the question and were sanctioned in democratic breaking off lapses. In fact, Law 17.711 amends the Civil Code, eliminating the marriage impediment of leprosy disease that ruled since 1926 between two sick persons or one leper to a healthy person. However, Law 11.359 was still valid as a generic regulation for leprosy patients until it was repealed by Law 22.964, curiously one of the last government acts of the Argentinian civic-military dictatorship (1976-1983).