This podcast discusses forensic linguistics, a technology that offers a new frontier in forensic evidence gathering – particularly in those cases where no other evidence is available to investigators. An example case is that of Theodore J. Kaczynski, the Unabomber: lack of fingerprints, hair samples, blood stains, DNA evidence, informants, eyewitnesses, or bomb part serial numbers resulted in a lack of clues as to the Unabomber’s identity. Ultimately, linguistic evidence provided much needed information that resulted in the capture and conviction of Kaczynski. Built on the strength of powerful conceptual and methodological breakthroughs in linguistics and other related interdisciplinary fields such as cognitive sciences and cultural anthropology, forensic linguists have developed the art and science of cracking criminal cases based on unconscious and conscious dimensions of language that may be used for individual or group identification.
The HDIAC Podcast - Constructing Forensic Linguistic ‘Finger Prints’ for Human/Criminal Identification
Notice: This video may contain personal or third-party views and opinions not associated with the government.
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Please see our terms of use located here: https://www.hdiac.org/hdiac-terms-of-use/
Presenters
Dr. Tej Bhatia, Ph.D.
Tej K. Bhatia is a Professor of Linguistics and Director of South Asian languages at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York and is the Acting Director of Cognitive Sciences at Syracuse University. He has been a fellow at the Center for the Study of Popular Television at the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communication and is a faculty fellow for the Forensic Sciences and National Security Institute. He has published a number of books, articles, and chapters in the area of bilingualism and multiculturalism, language and social cognition, media (advertising), discourse, sociolinguistics, and the structure of English and South Asian languages (Hindi-Urdu and Punjabi). Professor Bhatia is the editor in chief of the Brill Research Perspectives on Multilingualism and Second Language Acquisition, as well as the vice-president and president-elect of the International Association for World Englishes. He earned his doctorate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Dr. Shobha Bhatia, Ph.D.
Dr. Shobha Bhatia has taught civil and environmental engineering at Syracuse University for over 40 years and is currently a Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor. She has received many prestigious honors and awards, such as being appointed to the National Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering of the National Academy of Science-Engineering-Medicine and being recognized as a GeoLegend at the Geo Institute. She is co-director of the Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) initiative at Syracuse University and a Co PI of the National Science Foundation funded project SUADVANCE. Dr. Bhatia’s research efforts focus on the testing, development, design, and innovative use of sustainable natural and polymeric materials for the protection of water quality. Dr. Bhatia earned her doctorate in civil engineering from the University of British Columbia (Vancouver).
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