Purpose:
The main goal of this article is to raise awareness about how forensic archeology and anthropology can be used to improve the outcome of cases in the advocacy for human rights. It is mainly intended to prove how the material remains can be used to address violations of human rights in the past, by allowing the families of the victims to honor their memories. A way to do that is to provide the deceased with appropriate burials, as well as to provide their families with enough knowledge to seek justice. This article proves the efficiency of archeological techniques to illustrate how human rights have been compromised in the past by providing objective evidence of violations committed during the Civil War in Spain. This article demonstrates …show more content…
One of the most important terms that the authors advocate for is the concept of holism, since they stress the importance for forensic sciences to be integrated under this type of approach, which is intended to analyze every aspect of human life from their past to their future taking into consideration aspects like language, culture and biology (Gezon and Kottak 2013). This concept is illustrated in many ways; hence, the authors argue that-despite the different opinions on the limitations of forensic specialists- it is vital for them to use inherent archeological and anthropological methods. Integrating these methods with aspects like biology and other fields of investigation, could be highly efficient in an attempt to favor those still looking for answers. This article clearly specifies how analyzing burying patterns helped to identify religious aspects and the relationship of the victims to the political systems they lived in. Furthermore, by analyzing material remains, archeologists and anthropologists could see clues of human rights violations. Evidence appeared when analyzing the graves’ physical orientation; the observed patterns did not correspond to common Catholic traditions; this is a sign of deliberate disrespect towards the deceased that might have been motivated as a way of punishment or ignominy. Therefore, the religious and political background …show more content…
This is an example of how forensic specialists can use their expertise and discoveries to solve humanitarian problems. Through this article, specialists in these fields can be encouraged to initiate the investigation process when human disappearances are not supported by the state (Congram, Flavel and Maeyama 2014). This article encourages anthropologists and archeologists, as well as other related specialists to seek answers for desperate family members living in the uncertainty of not knowing their relatives’ fate. This study is relevant because mixing forensic to humanitarian goals can bring peace of mind to those who seek to redeem their relatives’ ignominious deaths.
Career area:
The article, through its integrated approach, is focused on a wide range of career areas. Some of the most significant careers related to this article are the ones that seek employment in forensics/legal systems, advocacy for human rights and social justice, and Forensic anthropology that focuses on collaboration with legal systems, including court and police departments in the identification of deaths resulting from crimes, wars, or as a result of any form of terrorism (Gezon and Kottak
The main goal of this article is to raise awareness about how forensic archeology and anthropology can be used to improve the outcome of cases in the advocacy for human rights. It is mainly intended to prove how the material remains can be used to address violations of human rights in the past, by allowing the families of the victims to honor their memories. A way to do that is to provide the deceased with appropriate burials, as well as to provide their families with enough knowledge to seek justice. This article proves the efficiency of archeological techniques to illustrate how human rights have been compromised in the past by providing objective evidence of violations committed during the Civil War in Spain. This article demonstrates …show more content…
One of the most important terms that the authors advocate for is the concept of holism, since they stress the importance for forensic sciences to be integrated under this type of approach, which is intended to analyze every aspect of human life from their past to their future taking into consideration aspects like language, culture and biology (Gezon and Kottak 2013). This concept is illustrated in many ways; hence, the authors argue that-despite the different opinions on the limitations of forensic specialists- it is vital for them to use inherent archeological and anthropological methods. Integrating these methods with aspects like biology and other fields of investigation, could be highly efficient in an attempt to favor those still looking for answers. This article clearly specifies how analyzing burying patterns helped to identify religious aspects and the relationship of the victims to the political systems they lived in. Furthermore, by analyzing material remains, archeologists and anthropologists could see clues of human rights violations. Evidence appeared when analyzing the graves’ physical orientation; the observed patterns did not correspond to common Catholic traditions; this is a sign of deliberate disrespect towards the deceased that might have been motivated as a way of punishment or ignominy. Therefore, the religious and political background …show more content…
This is an example of how forensic specialists can use their expertise and discoveries to solve humanitarian problems. Through this article, specialists in these fields can be encouraged to initiate the investigation process when human disappearances are not supported by the state (Congram, Flavel and Maeyama 2014). This article encourages anthropologists and archeologists, as well as other related specialists to seek answers for desperate family members living in the uncertainty of not knowing their relatives’ fate. This study is relevant because mixing forensic to humanitarian goals can bring peace of mind to those who seek to redeem their relatives’ ignominious deaths.
Career area:
The article, through its integrated approach, is focused on a wide range of career areas. Some of the most significant careers related to this article are the ones that seek employment in forensics/legal systems, advocacy for human rights and social justice, and Forensic anthropology that focuses on collaboration with legal systems, including court and police departments in the identification of deaths resulting from crimes, wars, or as a result of any form of terrorism (Gezon and Kottak