How does the interdisciplinary study of human rights translate bodies into evidence? How are recent technological advances in forensics, new media and methods of quantification transforming what counts as evidence?
A public symposium “Translating Human Rights: Bodies of Evidence,” from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday in Room 1636 at the School of Social Work Building, will examine these questions. Going beyond a view of translation framed in terms of accuracy or equivalence, this symposium explores the relationship of bodies, evidence and translation within the context of critical debates in human rights studies.
Speakers include Thomas Keenan of the Comparative Literature and Human Rights Project, Bard College; Patrick Ball, chief scientist, Human Rights Program, Benetech; Vincanne Adams, medical anthropology, University of California, San Francisco; Inderpal Grewal, Women’s Studies, Yale University; and U-M faculty respondents.
To reflect on the translation of bodies into visual form, the symposium includes an exhibit and discussion of images by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer David Turnley associate professor of art and design, Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, and associate professor of Residential College, LSA. The exhibit is on view in the International Institute Gallery through Nov. 9.
As part of the fall 2012 LSA Theme Semester on Translation, this event is co-sponsored by the International Institute and the Department of Comparative Literature. For more information, go to translation.lsa.umich.edu.
