[Social research in health: why read Norbert Elias?]

This essay aims to reflect on the theoretical-methodological challenges of social research in health and, especially, to explore the conceptual matrix present in the work of Norbert Elias, a sociologist and historian whose approach to the civilizing process greatly contributes to understanding the singularities that shape individual and collective existence. By investigating long chains of interdependence throughout history, Elias challenged deterministic interpretations of social processes and built a vigorous analysis of a plurality of objects from an interdisciplinary, constructivist, and relational perspective. By illuminating the dynamics of interaction and the mutual constitution of individuals and society, the author redefines the nature of the reciprocal relations among social structures, the psychic economy, and the body. In this sense, the appropriation of this reflexive perspective can fertilize studies and research processes. Considering the complexity of Public Health, we propose to stimulate possible articulations, dialogues, and uses of the Eliasian theoretical framework in the problematization and construction of strategies and research paths.