The phenomenon of medicalization for disciplinary control in education and human rights

Abstract

The medicalization of education is a phenomenon that has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, with educational institutions increasingly relying on medical interventions to address behavioral and learning challenges in students. The medicalization of various aspects of human life has been a growing trend, with more and more areas being considered within the scope of medical treatment. This trend raises important questions about the impact that medicalization has on individual rights and freedoms. This approach, although well-intentioned, raises a number of implications that must be carefully considered. One of the main implications of the medicalization of education is the potential for over-reliance on pharmaceutical interventions as a quick fix for complex behavioral and learning problems. Previous research has highlighted the use of medical interventions as a means of managing student behavior and maintaining discipline in schools. However, by treating these problems as purely medical in nature, schools may be overlooking the underlying social, emotional, and environmental factors that contribute to student challenges. This may have the unintended consequence of pathologizing normal variations in behavior and learning styles. This essay draws on authors such as Pierre Bourdieu and Michel Foucault, shedding light on issues of power struggles in social settings, including education, and how the issue of symbolic violence also intersects with the growing trend of medicalization.