ABSTRACT
This volume presents diverse perspectives on the very nature of forensic anthropology, its history as played out in different regions of the world, its applications to various medico-legal issues, and the background and training of personnel. With increasing frequency, forensic anthropologists are involved in domestic criminal cases and law enforcement initiatives thought to involve human remains, international investigations of atrocities and humanitarian missions directed toward victims of such atrocities, recovery and identifi cation of war dead, mass-fatality incidents, and training at a variety of levels. In addition, forensic anthropologists contribute to what has been termed “judicial anthropometry” (identifi cation of the living), scene management, and interaction with family members. Those practitioners with a background in social anthropology have also proven useful in forensic contexts working with communities in assembling antemortem data on missing persons, especially in areas where medical and dental records are rare.
