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Living and dying on record: ‘Atrocity archives’ as sacred remains1
- Source: Journal of Contemporary Iraq & the Arab World, Volume 16, Issue 1-2: Iraq and the Maladies of Archives, Jun 2022, p. 137 - 150
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- 18 Aug 2021
- 11 Oct 2021
- 01 Jun 2022
Abstract
This article considers the ethical issues surrounding conducting research in archives that include records of atrocities, taking Baʿth Party and Islamic State records that were de-territorialized from Iraq between 1991 and 2016 as case studies. I argue for the need to further consider whether historical subjects are being granted a voice in how their stories are being told. I will discuss the dichotomy between the imperatives to expose human rights abuses and seek accountability, against the need to consider the power dynamics defining control of the post-mortem narratives of the individuals named within records. I advocate for an approach to academic research that takes into account the affective power of records and the relations created by engaging them. I will explore how we might approach official records that document the abuse people have suffered as extensions of their physical bodies, as sacred remains.