Building a Community-Oriented Practice of Forensic Anthropology

Forensic anthropologists regularly consult with members of the medicolegal community for their casework. This practice is within the accepted scope of our profession and often goes uninterrogated. However, a growing number of forensic anthropologists are recognizing the need for collaboration beyond structures that can and do cause harm to our communities.

This talk will explore the process of building research and applied networks among forensic anthropologists and more diverse community stakeholders. In diversifying our stakeholders, forensic practitioners may serve as a bridge between community members, organizers, and activists and the larger medicolegal system, while designing research that puts the needs of our communities first.

Centering those often overlooked in our traditional practice of forensic anthropology can provide paths to reduce harm from structurally violent systems, improve outcomes for the identification of socially marginalized group members, and increase accountability within the medicolegal community.

Venue
Crawford Hall 115, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. This event is open to the public.

About the Speaker
Dr. Ariel Gruenthal-Rankin is a forensic anthropologist and bioarchaeologist who has worked for over 15 years on issues related to missing people and the recovery and identification of the deceased. She aims to bring humanitarian care to domestic forensic cases in Hawaiʻi and collaborates with community members and experts to improve communication and outcomes.

Contact
For questions about this event, please contact [email protected].

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Host or Publisher College Of Social Sciences