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SUMMARY:Anthropology\, mass graves and the politics of the dead - Constant
 ine Eliopoulos (Liverpool John Moores University)
DTSTART:20180207T163000Z
DTEND:20180207T173000Z
UID:TALK98941@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Michael Rivera
DESCRIPTION:In the past few decades\, anthropologists\, among other expert
 s\, have been called to assist in the investigation of mass graves by cond
 ucting exhumations\, anthropological examinations and identifications of h
 uman skeletal remains. The reasons for this choice of specialists are seve
 ral: anthropologists are trained in methods of grave location\, archaeolog
 ical excavation and identification by constructing the biological profile 
 of the exhumed remains. In recent years\, DNA analyses have been employed 
 to verify the anthropological findings\, bringing into the picture yet ano
 ther scientific specialisation. The use of anthropologists in the investig
 ation of mass graves started in Argentina in the mid-1980s and it has sinc
 e become common in similar situations. \nWhen an international organisatio
 n such as the United Nations or even a government decide to investigate a 
 mass grave\, this can be for either legal or humanitarian purposes. In the
  legal context\, the focus is to bring those responsible to justice\, whil
 e in the humanitarian the main goal is to identify the remains and return 
 them to their families for a proper burial according to local customs. The
  involvement of experts who employ scientific techniques in these investig
 ations\, is aimed at providing the objectivity and impartiality required i
 n this context. But are the investigations always objective?
LOCATION:Seminar Room\, Henry Wellcome Building\, Division of Biological A
 nthropology\, Fitzwilliam Street\, Cambridge\, CB2 3QG
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