Naming the Dead

##The problem Sustained civil and international conflict is complex, difficult to measure, and often highly politicized. Knowledge about violence in conflict is often piecemeal and error ridden.It is not easy for an individual to learn about country’s contemporary and past history of conflict.

This problem is made twofold by modern day warfare which relies on technologies that do not need military personnel to endanger themselves. Despite being hailed as a more deliberate, controllable, and therefore ‘humane’ way of waging conflict, the aggregate effect of this new warfare is just as destructive and devastating as traditional warfare, but due to its non-civilian and dispersed nature it is easier to hide and less demanding of attention. Ultimately for those types of violence whose manifestations are less visible there needs to be a pronounced effort to educate and inform the public.

##The solution Digital technologies provide new ways to access and interact with data about civil and international conflict that is more comprehensive and immediate. Using said data so that it is both more digestible and interactive can encourage us to reflect in ways that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism launched a project, Naming the Dead, which published biographical and circumstantial information of all victims in the US drone strikes in Pakistan since 2004. This campaign humanizes otherwise faceless victims, that are not just alleged terrorists, but innocent men, women, and children.

Drone Datasets

Credit: The Bureau of Investigative Journalism