Broken Bones, Buried Bodies: Forensic Anthropology and Human Rights KHC AR101 Spring 2016

Transcription

1 Broken Bones, Buried Bodies: Forensic Anthropology and Human Rights KHC AR101 Spring 2016 Jonathan D. Bethard, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Boston University School of Medicine 72 East Concord Street (L1004) Office Hours: TBD Course Description Over the course of its historical development, forensic anthropology has moved from a peripheral application of biological anthropology to a full-fledged specialty in its own right. Contemporary forensic anthropologists work in contexts around the globe on cases which vary in scope and complexity. While some instances involve natural disasters, many forensic anthropologists work in contexts which are the direct result of political conflict, state-sponsored violence, and/or genocide. Often couched in a framework of human rights, forensic anthropologists have made significant contributions to multiple stakeholders including surviving kin of victimized individuals. The purpose of this seminar is threefold: 1) to demonstrate how forensic anthropology has been applied to diverse human rights contexts around the globe; 2) to introduce students to basic methodological and theoretical principles of forensic anthropology applied in human rights contexts; and 3) to provide a forum where students learn from anthropologists who have been involved in human rights work. Course Objectives 1. Understand the ways in which forensic anthropologists utilize human skeletal remains to answer questions of medico-legal significance in human rights contexts 2. Understand the ways in which anthropologists study and document human rights abuses 3. Identify regions of the world where forensic anthropologists have worked to contribute to human rights investigations 4. Develop basic skills related to the analysis of human skeletal remains 5. Continue to enhance critical thinking and writing skills 1

2 Course Requirements Required Reading and Texts Textbooks: Annihilating Difference: The Anthropology of Genocide (2002). Alexander Hinton (Editor). University of California Press. The Human Bone Manual (2005). Tim White and Pieter Folkens. Academic Press Bioarchaeological and Forensic Perspectives on Violence (2014). Debra Martin and Cheryl Anderson (Editors). Cambridge University Press Course Blackboard Site: Assigned readings are listed in the course readings section below; with the exception of the texts, they will be posted on the course s Blackboard site ( Course Grading There are two short (3-4 pages) papers, laboratory exercises, and a final exam. Due dates will be announced at least 2 weeks in advance and late papers will lose 2 points for every day they are late. Relative contributions to the final grade: 2 short papers: 30% (15% each) Laboratory exercises related to human osteology: 30% Final Examination: 40% Attendance Attendance in class is required; only 1 unexcused absence will be permitted. Academic Dishonesty Course Outline and Readings Week 1. Introduction to forensic anthropology and human rights investigations (September 2 nd ) Define and introduce forensic anthropology, begin to understand how forensic anthropology has been applied in human rights contexts and discuss assigned summer readings Steadman, DW. (2005). The scope of anthropological contributions to human rights investigations. Journal of Forensic Sciences 50(1): Dirkmaat DC, Cabo LL, Ousley SD, and Symes SA. (2008). New perspectives in forensic anthropology. Yearbook of Physical Anthropology 47: Komar D. (2003). Lessons from Srebrenica: the contributions and limitations of physical anthropology in identifying victims of war crimes. Journal of Forensic Sciences 48(4):

3 Week 2. Anthropology and violence (September 9 th ) Begin to understand and discuss how forensic anthropologists and bioarchaeologists define and document evidence of violence in both the prehistoric and contemporary past Martin DM and Harrod RP. (2015). Bioarchaeological contributions to the study of violence. Yearbook of Physical Anthropology 59: Martin and Anderson: Chapters 1 Week 3. Anthropology and the investigation of genocide (September 16 th Define genocide and discuss how anthropologists have contributed to documenting its effects Hinton: Chapters 1-3 Week 4. The process of otherization: examples from the Holocaust (September 23 rd ) Hinton: Chapters 4, 5, 9 Week 5. Local dimensions of genocide: case studies from around the world (September 30 th ) Discuss examples of genocide from Rwanda, Guatemala, and the former Yugoslavia Hinton: Chapters 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 Week 6. Introduction to the Human Skeleton Part I: Bone Biology, Bone Growth and Development (October 7 th ) Introduce human skeletal biology and discuss how the human skeleton can provide clues into the lives of individuals represented by skeletal remains Bone Manual: Chapters 1-6 Week 7. Introduction to the Human Skeleton Part II: Axial Skeleton (October 14 th ) Introduce the bones of the skull, dentition, and rib cage. Discuss how these elements are useful for documenting such parameters as sex and age-at-death Bone Manual: Chapters

4 Week 8. Introduction to the Human Skeleton Part III: Appendicular Skeleton (October 21 st ) Introduce the bones of the limbs. Discuss how these elements are useful for documenting such parameters as sex and age-at-death Bone Manual: Chapters Week 9. Methods of Sex and Age Estimation (October 28 th ) Introduce the ways in which anthropologists estimate sex and age from skeletonized remains Bone Manual: Chapter 19 Klales et al. (2012). A Revised Method of Sexing the Human Innominate Using Phenice s Nonmetric Traits and Statistical Methods. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 149: Week 10. Skeletal Trauma Analysis (November 4 th ) Introduce the ways in which anthropologists understand and differentiate the types of skeletal trauma Readings Ta ala SC, Berg GE, and Haden K. (2006). Blunt Force Cranial Trauma in the Cambodian Killing Fields. Journal of Forensic Sciences 51(5): Martin and Anderson: Chapters 4, 5, 15 Week 11. Archaeological Investigations of Mass Graves (November 11 th ) Introduce archaeological recovery methods and discuss how human remains are excavated from mass graves Djuric M, Dunjic D, Djonic D, and Skinner M. (2007). Identification of victims from two mass-graves in Serbia: A critical evaluation of classical markers of identity. Forensic Science International 127: Ríos L, Ignacio JIC, Prieto JP. (2010). Identification process in mass graves from the Spanish Civil War I. Forensic Science International 199:e27-e29. Ríos L, García-Rubio A, Martínez B, Alonso A, and Puente. (2012). Identification process in mass graves from the Spanish Civil War II. Forensic Science International 219:e4-e9. 4

5 Week 12. Guest Speaker: Dr. Erin Kimmerle (University of South Florida) (November 18 th ) Dr. Kimmerle is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Florida. She worked as a forensic anthropologist for the United Nations and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Okoye, MI, Kimmerle EH, Baraybar JP Forensic Investigations of Human Rights Violations, Abuse, Mass Graves, and War Crimes. In. Forensic Sciences, Wecht, CH (ed.). Volume 2: Pp Week 13. No Class. Thanksgiving Recess. (November 25 th ) Week 14. Guest Speaker: Dr. Elizabeth DiGangi (Binghamton University) (December 2 nd ) Dr. DiGangi is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Binghamton University (SUNY). She lived in Bogotá, Colombia for five years where she worked as a consultant helping train forensic anthropologists charged with helping identify missing people disappeared during the ongoing Colombian conflict. Lopez AMG and Umaña AP. (2007). Who is Missing? Problems in the Application of Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology in Colombia s Conflict. In Forensic Archaeology and Human Rights Violations, Ferllini, R (ed.). Pp Week 15. Final Exam Review Last Class (December 9 th ) TBD 5