Sam Dubberley

Laura Kurgan

Sam Gregory

Ralf Breker

Bora Erden

Anjli Parrin

Patrick Brian Smith

Lea Weinmann

Reading Visual Investigations delves into a new discipline--visual investigations--in which architecture intersects with advocacy, journalism, and law in the pursuit of justice and accountability. This publication presents insights into the current discourse within the emergent field, illustrated by intriguing case studies from around the world. It highlights the role of architecture as a key area of expertise that defines this evolving practice. Eight experts from the fields of digital and spatial analysis, human rights, legal studies, investigative journalism, and forensic analysis offer critical, scientifically grounded discourse on the topic through essays and interviews. The book's contributors examine a range of methods and architectural tools employed in visual investigations and their impact on human rights and legal processes. Additionally, the involved investigators and the editors provide an in-depth analysis of international research by introducing seven case studies and presenting their methods, content, and conclusions in diverse formats, including maps, films, models, and interactive platforms used to expose human rights violations. Reading Visual Investigations is an essential resource for anyone interested in understanding the dynamic and evolving practice of visual investigations. It provides practical insights that integrate traditional reporting with digital forensics and the analysis of visual evidence. The book strives to bridge the gap between architectural expertise and the urgent need for effective advocacy and accountability mechanisms in contemporary society.

Between Advocacy, Journalism, and Law

Reading Visual Investigations

Alexa Koenig

Daragh Murray

From videos of rights violations, to satellite images of environmental degradation, to eyewitness accounts disseminated on social media, human rights practitioners have access to more data today than ever before. To say that mobile technologies, social media, and increased connectivity are having a significant impact on human rights practice would be an understatement. Modern technology - and the enhanced access it provides to information about abuse - has the potential to revolutionise human rights reporting and documentation, as well as the pursuit of legal accountability. However, these new methods for information gathering and dissemination have also created significant challenges for investigators and researchers. For example, videos and photographs depicting alleged human rights violations or war crimes are often captured on the mobile phones of victims or political sympathisers. The capture and dissemination of content often happens haphazardly, and for a variety of motivations, including raising awareness of the plight of those who have been most affected, or for advocacy purposes with the goal of mobilising international public opinion. For this content to be of use to investigators it must be discovered, verified, and authenticated. Discovery, verification, and authentication have, therefore, become critical skills for human rights organisations and human rights lawyers. This book is the first to cover the history, ethics, methods, and best-practice associated with open source research. It is intended to equip the next generation of lawyers, journalists, sociologists, data scientists, other human rights activists, and researchers with the cutting-edge skills needed to work in an increasingly digitized, and information-saturated environment.

Using Open Source Information for Human Rights Investigation, Documentation, and Accountability

Digital Witness

This book covers the developing field of open source research and discusses how to use social media, satellite imagery, big data analytics, and user-generated content to strengthen human rights research and investigations. The topics are presented in an accessible format through extensive use of images and data visualization (éditeur).

Sam Dubberley

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