Working in the killing fields : forensic science in Bosnia /

Ball (emer., Univ. of Vermont) describes the work of forensic experts who searched for bodily remains and evidence in the aftermath of warfare in Bosnia-Herzegovina (B-H). This effort has a sharper focus yet compares favorably with Digging for the Disappeared (CH, Oct'15, 53-1010), Alan Rosenblatt's more general introduction to the discipline. Included are seven profiles of committed specialists who participated in international investigations there. They vividly reveal the gruesome tasks, obstacles, and emotional anguish experienced in pursuit of remains and facts potentially useful in justice proceedings. Their milieu in B-H was clouded by secrecy and impunity for the perpetrators. Ball provides well-balanced historical and social context that explains the deep ongoing divisions among Croat, Serb, and Bosniak citizens in Bosnia's tripartite political system. Ball documents how researchers have been frustrated by residents as well as officials, especially in Serb dominated communities. He is forthright in showing how ethnic segregation and excessive corruption perpetuate poverty as well as divisiveness throughout B-H. Hostility remains unabated, and true reconciliation that depends upon forensic discoveries is thwarted. Highly recommended for students of human rights politics and forensic sciences. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. --Paul G. Conway, SUNY College at Oneonta