Oxford Brookes University (UK)
ART & SCIENCE Vs. CONFLICT IN THE GLOBAL PRESENT
11.02.2016
REGISTER BEFORE
07 / 02 / 2016
DR. NICHOLAS MÁRQUEZ GRANT Lecturer in Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology at Cranfield University
Nicholas is one of the organisers of "Art & Science Vs. Conflict in the Global Present" and a Lecturer in Forensic Anthropology and Course Director of the MSc in Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology at Cranfield University. Previously he worked as an osteoarchaeologist for a number of archaeological companies and has worked as a Specialist Forensic Practitioner in Anthropology and Archaeology for a number of forensic science providers, undertaking casework for many police forces in the UK.
He is also a Research Associate of the Institute of Human Sciences, School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford.
Having worked as a specialist in human skeletal remains from archaeological sites for over ten years, he has considerable experience in the excavation and study of cremated and unburnt bone from prehistoric sites to the present date and from a variety of geographical areas in particular Britain, Spain, Portugal and France. He has taught biological anthropology since 2001 at the University of Oxford where he was awarded his doctoral degree in archaeology and physical anthropology in 2006. He has published numerous papers and a number of edited volumes on Anthropology and Archaeology.
"Identifying the Missing"
His presentation will focus on the role forensic archaeologists and anthropologists have in the search, recovery and identification of human skeletal remains. In particular, forensic anthropologists specialise in the examining of the human bones and estimate age-at-death, sex, stature, etc. in order to identify the deceased, bring justice and provide closure to families. Although the missing are remembered, efforts have been placed in the context of human rights investigation to search for the missing (presumed dead) and to identify them.
How are the human remains of the missing identified? Forensic scientists employ DNA, fingerprints and dental records, but these also raise challenges. This paper provides an overview of the techniques for identifying the missing, primarily within a mass fatality and mass grave context and provides also the role that forensic anthropology has to play.