Towards an Integral Forensic Anthropology

Observations on the Search for Detained and Disappeared Persons in Argentina and Uruguay

Bibliographic Data

ID13014358
AuthorsCarlos Marín Suárez (0000-0002-1289-8095, Universidad de Montevideo, corresponding author), Bruno Rosignoli (0000-0003-1987-3816, National University of Rosario)
Year2021
Volume7
Issue2
Publication date2021-05-17
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Contemporary Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2051-3429 • E-ISSN: 2051-3437
PublisherEquinox Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1558/jca.40041
OpenAlexW3161430346
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited9

This paper presents a comparative study of forensic anthropology as the field has developed in Argentina and Uruguay, two Southern Cone countries that have transitioned from dictatorship to democracy in contrasting circumstances. In the context of investigating crimes against humanity, the archaeology of the recent past offers a “third narrative” alongside documentation and testimony, and it has had a great impact as a source of probatory material in judicial contexts in both countries. However, its focus has been almost exclusively on locating and retrieving human remains, whereas we propose a broader integral forensic anthropology that takes account of the wide range of materiality related to crimes against humanity. If forensic anthropology and archaeology are to fulfil this potential, it is fundamental that they remain independent of state power and holistic in scope

Aesthetics · Archaeology · Art · Context (archaeology · Documentation · Ethnography · Humanity · Literature · Material culture · Materiality (auditing · Narrative · Political science · Scope (computer science · Sociology · Anthropology · Computer Science · Conflict, Peace, and Violence in Colombia · History · Law · Memory, Trauma, and Commemoration · Memory, violence, and history