Exhuming Violent Histories: Forensics, Memory, and Rewriting Spain's Past

Spanish human rights activists are using forensic methods to uncover the truth about state terror and bring about transitional justice. Nicole Iturriaga's book explores how these activists use science to challenge dominant histories and reshape collective memory, providing a credible and impartial approach to intervention in public disputes about the past. The book offers valuable insights into how science and technology can be adopted by human rights and civil society groups pursuing transitional justice in other parts of the world.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

After the downfall of the Franco regime, Spanish human rights activists have employed innovative approaches to preserve the memory of state terror. Through the excavation of mass graves, the exhumation of remains, and the utilization of forensic analysis and DNA testing, they aim to provide concrete evidence of repression and shed light on the atrocities committed during the dictatorships.

In her ethnographic study, Nicole Iturriaga explores how Spanish human rights activists leverage forensic methods to challenge dominant narratives, reshape collective memory, and establish new mechanisms for transitional justice. She argues that by grounding their claims in science, activists can present themselves as credible and impartial, enabling them to intervene in contentious public debates about the remembrance of the past. The perceived legitimacy and authenticity of scientific techniques empower users to contest the states historical narratives and offer alternative accounts of violence in pursuit of long-delayed justice.

Iturriaga draws upon interviews with technicians and forensics experts and presents a comprehensive case study of Spain's renowned forensic human rights organization, the Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory. Additionally, she examines how the tools and tactics employed in Spain can be adapted by human rights and civil society groups engaged in transitional justice efforts in other regions of the world.

Exhuming Violent Histories offers an ethnographically rich account that sheds valuable light on the ways in which human rights activists are using forensic techniques to confront past atrocities and promote reconciliation and healing in societies transitioning from conflict.

Weight: 344g
Dimension: 216 x 140 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231201131