Our research
DISACT investigates one of the most severe and puzzling human rights violations of our time: enforced disappearances in contexts of political violence. These are not just acts of repression—they are also used to control populations, send political messages, and erase uncomfortable parts of history. We focus on how enforced disappearances are used across different political settings—colonial rule, violent conflict, transnational authoritarian repression, and post-conflict societies—to understand their strategic logic and long-term consequences.
Research Aims
Logic of the Crime
To explore how and why enforced disappearances are used by state and non-state actors during violent conflict.
Transnational Diffusion
To investigate how authoritarian regimes carry out enforced disappearances across borders.
Historical Origins
To trace the emergence and legitimization of enforced disappearances as a tool of state repression.
The Afterlife of Violence
To examine the strategic logic behind the reburial of victims’ remains and how these actions shape memory, justice, and reconciliation in post-conflict settings.
Research Approach
Because disappearances are secretive and difficult to trace, DISACT uses five complementary research methods:
- Ethnographic fieldwork
- Systematic archival research
- Forensic evidence
- Legal and policy analysis
- Computational techniques
Case Studies
DISACT focuses on carefully selected case studies,
each representing a distinct political and historical context:
- Algeria
- Libya
- Cyprus
- Ireland
- Chile
