CSLS Speaker Series (original) (raw)

“The anatomy of Justice: Forensic medicine and criminal law in nineteenth-century Egypt,” Islamic Law and Society, 6 (1999), pp. 224-271.

Islamic Law and Society, 1999

The reform of the Egyptian criminal justice system in the nineteenth century traditionally has been viewed as forming an important step in the establishment of a liberal and just rule of law. By studying how forensic medicine was introduced into nineteenth-century Egypt, I argue that the need to exercise better control over the population and to monitor crime lay behind the reform process as much as liberal ideas borrowed from Europe did. Drawing on a wide range of archival material, both legal and medical, I analyze the role played by autopsy in the criminal system and argue that the practice of autopsy was viewed differentially by AEulam®ae, by Arabic-speaking, French-educated doctors and by the mostly illiterate masses. And contrary to the common wisdom, I conclude that the "modernization" of the Egyptian legal system was intended not to displace the shar¬AEa but to support it.

Origin and development of forensic medicine in Egypt

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 2011

Egyptians are one of the first civilisations to practice the removal and examination of internal organs of humans. Their practices ranged from embalming to faith healing to surgery and autopsy. Modern radiological studies, together with various forensic techniques, allowed scientists unique glimpses of the state of health in Egypt 4000 years ago and discovered one of the earliest applications of autopsy, the main element of forensic medicine practice today.

Forensic cultures in historical perspective: Technologies of witness, testimony, judgment (and justice

This article explores the history of forensic science in terms of ideologies and institutions rather than developing technique. It presents an analytical framework for characterising forensic institutions and practices, past and present. That framework highlights the distinct issues of means of witness, accredited testimony, and the reaching of juridical decisions. The article applies the framework by comparing four forensic 'formations,' (or 'cultures') which have been prominent at various times and places in the western world from the early modern period onward: these are the central European heritage of the Caroline code, a eugenically-oriented forensic enterprise of late nineteenth-century America, the forensic perspective in nineteenth-century British India, and the representation of forensic certainty in contemporary American popular culture. The article concludes with a critique of what seems an increasingly common expectation: that forensic science evolves independently of legal institutions, and can ultimately displace them.

Review Essay of The Emergence of Historical Forensic Expertise: Clio Takes the Stand by V. Petrovic

Journal of International Criminal Justice, 2018

The Emergence of Historical Forensic Expertise is an instructive intellectual journey through the interplay of history and law whose relevance extends well beyond its basic framework of a historical study. A cross-disciplinary outlook between the historical science and legal practice adopted and effectively applied by Petrović can become an indispensable guide through the highest and lowest points of historical science as a forensic discipline in domestic and international criminal trials.

The Contribution of Forensic Archaeology to Homicide Investigations

Homicide Studies, 2008

Collecting and processing forensic evidence during a death investigation has become an endeavor that may incorporate numerous personnel from many disciplines. During death investigations, specialized forensic experts regularly consult with law enforcement agencies at city, state, and federal levels, and with medical examiner and coroner offices. These forensic experts can also provide training, specialized laboratory analyses of forensic evidence, and services for which law enforcement may have very little or no training. Forensic archaeology is one such discipline that can provide specialized expertise at the crime scene. In addition to discussing the differences between forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, this article presents a summary of the contributions that forensic archaeology can make during the search for and processing of crime scenes involving human remains.

The Emergence of Historical Forensic Expertise: Clio takes the Stand (excerpt)

Routledge, 2017

This book scrutinizes the emergence of historical forensic contribution in some of the most important national and international legal ventures of the last century. It aims to advance the debate from discussions on whether his- torians should testify or not toward nuanced understanding of the history of the practice and making the best out of its performance in the future.

History of Forensic Science

Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences, 2023

This article was originally published in the Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences, Third Edition published by Elsevier, and the attached copy is provided by Elsevier for the author's benefit and for the benefit of the author's institution, for non-commercial research and educational use, including without limitation, use in instruction at your institution, sending it to specific colleagues who you know, and providing a copy to your institution's administrator.