Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Monograph

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

Anthropology

Supervisor

Beckett, Greg

Abstract

My doctoral research explores the experience of forensic anthropologists in places of sociopolitical unrest, specifically focusing on Colombia and Peru. Forensic anthropologists, who specialise in identifying skeletal remains, analysing skeletal trauma, and providing expert opinions on the circumstances of death, often serve as expert witnesses in legal proceedings. However, in Latin America, the concept of witnessing extends beyond the courtroom, encompassing a broader spectrum of knowledge generation. This dissertation examines the diverse encounters faced by forensic anthropologists in Colombia and Peru, including encounters with human remains and the legacies of political violence, encounters with the families of the missing, perpetrators, and a precarious institutional landscape. I argue that these encounters shape the moral experience of forensic anthropologists – making them not only unwanted witnesses but moral witnesses – and exposing them to specific risks, dangers, stressors, and emotional impacts. The research presented here suggests that the entire context of forensic anthropological work can potentially shape forensic anthropologists in profound ways. The findings indicate that the impact on forensic anthropologists extends beyond the immediate tasks they perform, such as interacting with bereaved families or encountering perpetrators of violence. The broader sociopolitical landscape, characterised by pervasive violence and precarity, also plays a significant role in shaping these professionals.My findings suggest that the knowledge forensic anthropologists produce, the things they witness, and the sociopolitical context they operate in all contribute to shaping their personal lives and decisions. The research further posits that the conditions under which forensic anthropologists work create an environment conducive to moral injury – an injury to one’s moral conscience which stems from witnessing or participating in events that go against one’s moral beliefs. These same conditions and contexts provide the discursive and practical resources that forensic anthropologists utilise to manage their experiences, cope with their work’s psychological and emotional impacts and navigate the multifaceted challenges inherent in their profession.

Summary for Lay Audience

My doctoral research explores the experience of forensic anthropologists in places of sociopolitical unrest. Forensic anthropologists analyse skeletal remains for identification purposes, interpret injuries evident on bones, and determine the approximate time elapsed since the individual’s passing. Forensic anthropologists often work in difficult contexts shaped by political violence, human rights violations, and widespread insecurity. My project focuses on the narratives of forensic anthropologists working in Colombia and Peru, where forensic anthropological investigations have been central in aiding to uncover, document, and address political violence. Forensic anthropologists in Colombia and Peru face various encounters: they encounter the human remains of individuals who were murdered and tortured, they work closely with the families of individuals who were forcibly disappeared, they encounter perpetrators and violence directed at them, and they encounter specific challenges when working for governmental institutions. Those encounters shape the experience of forensic anthropologists – making them not only unwanted witnesses but moral witnesses – and expose them to specific kinds of risks, dangers, stressors, and emotional impacts. My research suggests that forensic anthropologists can potentially become deeply affected by their work in ways that go beyond their day-to-day tasks. This research shows that their entire professional environment, including the broader social and political situation, can have a profound impact on them. It is not just interacting with grieving families or encountering criminals that can affect forensic anthropologists. The overall climate of violence and uncertainty in which they work also plays a big role. The knowledge they produce, the things they witness, and the social and political environment they work in, all can influence their personal lives and decisions. The conditions of their work can lead to moral injury – an injury to one’s moral conscience which stems from witnessing or participating in events that go against one’s moral beliefs. Despite these challenges, forensic anthropologists find ways to cope. They use the very same work environment and experiences to develop strategies for dealing with the emotional and psychological impacts of their profession. By recognising their complex encounters, we can better understand the moral challenges and personal implications of forensic anthropological work in these regions.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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