Non-human actors in the everyday practices of the mobile emergency care service

Abstract

The analysis of everyday practices includes the understanding of the organisation of power relations and knowledge at a given time and context, and also establishes the relationship of different social, political, and economic devices. Little attention is paid to non-human actors; however, they are part of the social scenarios and, along with the human actors, constitute the everyday practices and power relations. analyse the effects of non-human actors on the everyday practices of the Mobile Emergency Care Service in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Qualitative Case Study of post-structuralism framework, with discourse analysis. 13 semi-structured interviews carried out with workers performing distinct functions in the service. Documents generated by the SAMU are sources of power and maintenance of the truth discourse, fostering the perpetuation of hegemonic discourses, prescribed work, and work control. Moreover, equipment such as radio and phones work as "eyes" that watch the professionals, as forms of hierarchical surveillance and control. Non-human actors are not neutrally internalised in everyday practices, but are added in different contexts, so that, depending on the situation, they may take more or less control and power over human actors. Non-human actors contribute and produce effects on the relations established in the everyday work performed by the Mobile Emergency Care Service, although further analysis is necessary to outline how the practices by these actors are carried out in the service.