ABSTRACT
Establishing the identity of the deceased is a crucial component of repatriation practice. However, it is a term of myriad meanings which can encompass, for example, individual identity, social “group” identity (community, tribe, nation, etc.), geographical place or region or country, or their “racial” or “ethnic” identity. This chapter explores how concepts of identity are intertwined within repatriation practice. In its examination of social and biological identity, it considers in particular the way in which historical techniques and scientific methods are often at odds in repatriation practice.
