Thursday, March 16, 2023

Smith & Klinkner: Mass Graves, Truth and Justice: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Investigation of Mass Graves

Ellie Smith
(Bournemouth Univ.) & Melanie Klinkner (Bournemouth Univ.) have published Mass Graves, Truth and Justice: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Investigation of Mass Graves (Edward Elgar Publishing 2023). Here's the abstract:

Across the world, mass graves, often containing a multitude of human remains, are sites of human loss, suffering and unimaginable acts of cruelty. While no one mass grave or its investigation is the same, all mass graves contain evidence that is essential to the realisation of justice and accountability goals for victims, affected communities, states in transition and the international community.

This book tactfully examines this sensitive topic, demonstrating how mass grave investigations can be highly complex, context-specific, lengthy and expensive processes, requiring significant planning, coordination, expertise and resources. The book analyses the various processes involved in mass grave investigation from a number of disciplinary perspectives and a variety of geographical, cultural and political contexts, including Bosnia, Guatemala, Libya, Nepal and Rwanda. Chapters feature expert contributions from voices in the fields of forensic sciences, advocacy and the judiciary, along with world-leading international legal expertise on mass graves, their protection and investigation.