The Fort Talks: Crimes in Archival Form

A Conversation with Dr. Ken MacLean and Human Rights Defenders on Documentation

On September 30, The Fort hosted “The Fort Talks: Crimes in Archival Form: A Conversation with Dr. Ken MacLean and Human Rights Defenders on Documentation.”

What are the possibilities and limits of human rights documentation as a mode of truth-seeking? In what ways do investigative decisions, field methods, analytical practices, and advocacy strategies influence the fact-finding process? How do these decisions affect human rights claims?
 
During The Fort Talks, human rights defenders and researchers joined Dr. Ken MacLean, author of the book Crimes in Archival Form: Human Rights, Fact Production, and Myanmar, to explore the practical and ethical questions about human rights investigations. In his book, Dr. Ken MacLean examines the documentation practices of various groups and argues that human rights “facts” are produced rather than found. This event provided an opportunity for human rights practitioners to discuss the fact production process and its importance, particularly in Myanmar.

Speakers:

• Dr. Ken MacLean, Professor, Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Clark University

• Saijai Liangpunsakul, founder, Myanmar Witness

• Esther J, founder, Burma War Crimes Investigation

• Patrick Phongsathorn, Senior Advocacy Specialist, Fortify Rights

Moderator:

• John Quinley III, Director, Fortify Rights