Decolonising forensic odontology in Sub-Saharan Africa
Forensic odontology plays a vital role in human identification, age estimation, and legal investigations. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, the field has developed within a framework shaped by colonial histories, Western methodologies, and systemic underinvestment in local capacity. This article criti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Forensic Science International: Synergy |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589871X25000518 |
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| author | Salma Kabbashi Keane Bailie Susan Chandler Manogari Chetty |
| author_facet | Salma Kabbashi Keane Bailie Susan Chandler Manogari Chetty |
| author_sort | Salma Kabbashi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Forensic odontology plays a vital role in human identification, age estimation, and legal investigations. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, the field has developed within a framework shaped by colonial histories, Western methodologies, and systemic underinvestment in local capacity. This article critically examines the need to decolonise forensic odontology in the region, proposing a comprehensive reform agenda grounded in four intersecting domains: historical legacies, indigenous knowledge integration, ethical considerations, and policy reform. It highlights how colonial-era forensic practices continue to influence current protocols and legal standards, often to the detriment of scientific accuracy and justice. By recognising and incorporating traditional dental knowledge, such as ritual dental modifications and community oral histories, the field can be enriched and made more contextually relevant. Ethical challenges surrounding data sovereignty, informed consent, cultural sensitivity, and the use of contested techniques are addressed, with recommendations for more equitable and transparent forensic practices. Policy reforms are proposed to institutionalise forensic odontology through education, infrastructure development, legal recognition, and collaborative networks. The article argues that decolonisation is not a rejection of global science but a reorientation toward context-appropriate, ethically grounded, and locally led forensic systems. Through these reforms, Sub-Saharan Africa can build a forensic odontology discipline that is scientifically robust, culturally responsive, and capable of delivering justice and dignity to affected communities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-828289495f4b4db3a26c420ae69fbb7c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2589-871X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forensic Science International: Synergy |
| spelling | doaj-art-828289495f4b4db3a26c420ae69fbb7c2025-08-20T03:31:06ZengElsevierForensic Science International: Synergy2589-871X2025-12-011110062210.1016/j.fsisyn.2025.100622Decolonising forensic odontology in Sub-Saharan AfricaSalma Kabbashi0Keane Bailie1Susan Chandler2Manogari Chetty3Corresponding author.; Department of Craniofacial Biology, Pathology, & Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, 7500, South AfricaDepartment of Craniofacial Biology, Pathology, & Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, 7500, South AfricaDepartment of Craniofacial Biology, Pathology, & Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, 7500, South AfricaDepartment of Craniofacial Biology, Pathology, & Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, 7500, South AfricaForensic odontology plays a vital role in human identification, age estimation, and legal investigations. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, the field has developed within a framework shaped by colonial histories, Western methodologies, and systemic underinvestment in local capacity. This article critically examines the need to decolonise forensic odontology in the region, proposing a comprehensive reform agenda grounded in four intersecting domains: historical legacies, indigenous knowledge integration, ethical considerations, and policy reform. It highlights how colonial-era forensic practices continue to influence current protocols and legal standards, often to the detriment of scientific accuracy and justice. By recognising and incorporating traditional dental knowledge, such as ritual dental modifications and community oral histories, the field can be enriched and made more contextually relevant. Ethical challenges surrounding data sovereignty, informed consent, cultural sensitivity, and the use of contested techniques are addressed, with recommendations for more equitable and transparent forensic practices. Policy reforms are proposed to institutionalise forensic odontology through education, infrastructure development, legal recognition, and collaborative networks. The article argues that decolonisation is not a rejection of global science but a reorientation toward context-appropriate, ethically grounded, and locally led forensic systems. Through these reforms, Sub-Saharan Africa can build a forensic odontology discipline that is scientifically robust, culturally responsive, and capable of delivering justice and dignity to affected communities.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589871X25000518DecolonisationForensic odontologySub-Saharan AfricaIndigenous knowledgeData sovereigntyEthical forensics |
| spellingShingle | Salma Kabbashi Keane Bailie Susan Chandler Manogari Chetty Decolonising forensic odontology in Sub-Saharan Africa Forensic Science International: Synergy Decolonisation Forensic odontology Sub-Saharan Africa Indigenous knowledge Data sovereignty Ethical forensics |
| title | Decolonising forensic odontology in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full | Decolonising forensic odontology in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_fullStr | Decolonising forensic odontology in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Decolonising forensic odontology in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_short | Decolonising forensic odontology in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_sort | decolonising forensic odontology in sub saharan africa |
| topic | Decolonisation Forensic odontology Sub-Saharan Africa Indigenous knowledge Data sovereignty Ethical forensics |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589871X25000518 |
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