Based upon the criticism presented by Guilhon de Albuquerque in his book Instituições e Poder to Irving Goffmann's Asylums - Essays on the social patients and other inmates regarding totalitarian institutions, this work intends: (1) to question Guilhon de Albuquerque's theoretical premises and analysis schemes for the conception of institution and totalitarian institution based on macro political rationale; and (2) to contrast this perspective against a different thinking process on the institutions, a genealogical thinking which privileges, among other aspects: the productions (instead of the representations); the constitution process (instead of constituted forms); the irruption (instead of the interruption); and the positivity (instead of the interdiction and need).
institution; power; genealogy