Aula 131 Necropolítica - Achille Mbembe

Item: Aula 131 Necropolítica - Achille Mbembe
Rating: 3
Author: PostSingularity Institute

by Leonardo Braga Flores

Humanities, Social Sciences & Thought Philosophy & Ethics QDTSSocial and political philosophy QDTS1Critical theory

🎙 Leonardo Braga Flores 👥 4K 📅 April 23, 2026 ⏱ 25 min 👁 52 📄 tutorial 🧭 2026-08-16

Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

necropoliticsbiopowersovereigntystate of exceptionracism

Summary

In this lecture, Professor Leonardo Braga Flores introduces the concept of necropolitics as developed by Cameroonian philosopher Achille Mbembe. He begins by defining necropolitics as the power of the state to decide who lives and who dies, based on ethnic and racial criteria. He traces the concept back to Michel Foucault’s biopower, but emphasizes that Mbembe extends it to include colonial, imperialist, and racist policies that operate through a state of exception. The lecture explains how the state uses sovereignty to justify killing, and how this manifests in segregation, violence, and dehumanization. The professor provides a comparative table between biopower and necropower, and reads a translated excerpt from Mbembe’s work. He also recommends three films that illustrate the themes: Blood Diamond, Tears of the Sun, and Adu. The video includes three exam questions from Brazilian public exams (FGV and Fundatec) to test understanding. The lecture is part of a free online philosophy course for pre-university and public exam preparation, and the professor promotes his study materials and website.

168 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The video provides a clear and accessible explanation of necropolitics, making it valuable for students preparing for exams. The argumentation is structured and logical, starting with a definition, then connecting to Foucault’s biopower, and finally illustrating with examples and exam questions. However, the depth of analysis is limited, as it is a tutorial for beginners. The professor’s own interpretations are presented without critical engagement, and the argumentation relies heavily on the authority of Mbembe without exploring counterarguments or nuances.

88 words

Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, as the video is a lecture on necropolitics by Achille Mbembe.

Quality & Reliability

6/10

The video provides a clear and structured introduction to the concept of necropolitics, with direct references to Achille Mbembe's work and its relation to Foucault's biopower. However, the presentation is pedagogical and simplified for exam preparation, and the sources are limited to the author's own website and the video itself. The explanation of state of exception is somewhat generic and not deeply contextualized.

Key Moments

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

Cited Sources

Leonardo Braga Flores - Philosophy Courses and Materials — The professor's website where study materials and courses are offered, mentioned in the video description and during the lecture.

Concurring Sources

Necropolitics by Achille Mbembe — The Wikipedia article on necropolitics aligns with the video's explanation of the concept.

Contribution & Novelties

The video offers a didactic introduction to necropolitics, specifically tailored for Brazilian exam preparation. It simplifies complex philosophical concepts and provides practical exam questions, which is useful for students. However, it does not present new research or original insights beyond the existing literature.

Pour aller plus loin :

Necropolitics (Wikipedia) — Provides an overview of the concept and its academic context.
Michel Foucault’s Biopower (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) — Explains Foucault’s concept of biopower, which is foundational to Mbembe’s work.
State of Exception (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) — Discusses Giorgio Agamben’s related concept, which is relevant to understanding the state of exception.

102 words

Radar Profile

The radar profile shows moderate scores across all dimensions, with a slightly higher score in quality of information and reliability, reflecting the clear and structured presentation. The low technical level indicates that the content is introductory, which is appropriate for the target audience.

Reliability 6/10