Why disappearance research matters

Tens of thousands of individuals are affected by disappearance and enforced disappearance every year, but until now the study of this phenomenon has often been disjointed and disconnected due to academic silos.

In this podcast, Richard Kemp speaks with Bahar Baser and Élise Féron, two of the co-editors for the new Journal of Disappearance Studies, about how the journal serves as a space to break these boundaries and give this important field a unified platform.

They discuss the difference between disappearance and enforced disappearance, the ethical implications of speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves and how they hope the journal will evolve over the coming years.

Bahar Baser is based at Durham University, UK. Élise Féron is based at Ulster University, UK

Find out more about the journal at: https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/jds/jds-overview.xml

The transcript is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2026/03/06/podcast-why-disappearance-research-matters/

Timestamps:

01:28 - What was the inspiration behind starting the Journal of Disappearance Studies?

04:20 - What are the different forms of disappearance?

08:40 - What is it like for the families who are left behind?

14:41 - Why are 'widows' particularly impacted?

16:05 - Why are enforced disappearances getting more prevalent?

21:13 - What is transitional justice?

30:54 - Why was it important for the journal to include poetry and filmmaker interviews, alongside academic articles?

34:50 - What ethical issues arise when researching and representing disappearance?

38:54 - How do you hope the journal will evolve in future issues?

Intro music:

Cold by yoitrax | @yoitrax

Music promoted by www.free-stock-music.com

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