Elementi e connessioni teoriche per un abolizionismo dal Sud Globale

Abstract

This article explores theoretical elements and connections for an abolitionism rooted in the Global South, specifically Brazil. It posits that penal abolitionism has historically suffered from theoretical dependence on European and Scandinavian models, creating a disconnect from the region's unique social and historical contexts. The central hypothesis is that effective abolitionist models for conflict resolution in Brazil must directly confront the country's deep-seated legacy of slavery, colonialism, structural racism, and state violence. The paper distinguishes between transitional and restorative justice, highlighting their limitations in adequately addressing profound structural issues. It proposes "transformative justice" as a more fitting framework, defining it as a community-based approach aimed at fostering broader social, political, and economic change by transforming relationships, practices, and systems of oppression, rather than solely focusing on individual conflicts or restoring a previous state. Ultimately, it advocates for a locally driven, participatory transformative justice that dismantles punitive imaginaries and fosters new forms of solidarity to overcome historical traumas and prevent recurrent violence.