The social imaginary of the punitive turn

a reflexion about insecurity, order and justice in Colombia

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to reflect on the multiple dimensions of the Punitive turn and the situations of the Colombian context in which they can be evidenced. We begin by arguing that this phenomenon is not homogeneous, nor can they be determined as a result of neoliberal policies alone. Therefore, the discussion of two specific cases of the Colombian context is proposed. The first one, related to the Public Force and its role in the construction of the "truth" about the armed conflict. In further detail, this section proposes a reflection on how the Transitional Justice discourse, entrusted to the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (In hereinafter JEP), can lead Colombian society to justify or not the acts committed in the war as a legitimate form of national defense. In the second case, we take the reflection on the Punitive Populism to the types of –social and judicial– punishment related to sexual and gender violence. The discussions in this section invites the readers to visualize how premises or values of the punitive turn have been introduced into our social life and are expressed in subjective reactions and thoughts about what we consider punishable and just.