Studies in forensic biohistory anthropological perspectives

The lives of kings, poets, authors, criminals and celebrities are a perpetual fascination in the media and popular culture, and for decades anthropologists and other scientists have participated in 'post-mortem dissections' of the lives of historical figures. In this field of biohistory, r...

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Bibliographic Details
Other Authors: Stojanowski, Christopher M. (Editor), Duncan, William N. (Editor)
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: Cambridge Cambridge University Press 2017
Series:Cambridge studies in biological and evolutionary anthropology
Subjects:
Online Access:
Collection: Cambridge Books Online - Collection details see MPG.ReNa
Description
Summary:The lives of kings, poets, authors, criminals and celebrities are a perpetual fascination in the media and popular culture, and for decades anthropologists and other scientists have participated in 'post-mortem dissections' of the lives of historical figures. In this field of biohistory, researchers have identified and analyzed these figures' bodies using technologies such as DNA fingerprinting, biochemical assays, and skeletal biology. This book brings together biohistorical case studies for the first time, and considers the role of the anthropologist in the writing of historical narratives surrounding the deceased. Contributors theorize biohistory with respect to the sociology of the body, examining the ethical implications of biohistorical work and the diversity of social theoretical perspectives that researchers' work may relate to. The volume defines scales of biohistorical engagement, providing readers with a critical sense of scale and the different paths to 'historical notoriety' that can emerge with respect to human remains
Physical Description:xi, 338 pages digital
ISBN:9781139683531