Forensic Anthropology: Evolving Perspectives in Human Skeletal Variation and Identification
A special issue of Humans (ISSN 2673-9461).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1964
Special Issue Editors
Interests: human skeletal variation; human identification; biological profile; craniofacial variation; bone mineral density; postmortem interval; geometric morphometrics
Interests: craniofacial variation; biological profile; geometric morphometrics; past population migrations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
A comprehensive understanding of human skeletal variation and bone biology is critical to the practice of forensic anthropology. This includes knowledge of human variation through our evolutionary history as well as the macro- and microevolutionary processes that contribute to that variable morphology. This foundational knowledge allows researchers and practitioners to build and improve forensic anthropological methods for establishing the biological profile for radiology for personal identification. Further, an appreciation for the underlying bone biology that helps shape this variation also supports other forensic anthropological approaches, including contemporary taphonomic processes, skeletal trauma, or the use of isotopes for the purpose of geolocation, and contemporary ethical dilemmas in the use and curation of human skeletal remains.
Therefore, this Special Issue of Humans is issuing a call for research articles, review articles, and communications that highlight evolving perspectives in forensic anthropology. This includes, but is not limited to, how an understanding of the evolutionary forces that pattern human skeletal variation can better inform forensic anthropological methods, anatomical considerations for radiographic comparisons, the effects of biomechanics on trauma analysis, how taphonomic considerations are critical for molecular and chemical analyses, and how understanding factors influencing skeletal variation can inform large-scale identification projects. The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide practitioners and researchers in forensic anthropology with thoughtful research and methodological approaches stemming from the discipline’s foundational concepts.
Dr. Amanda Hale
Prof. Dr. Ann H. Ross
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Humans is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- biological profile
- human identification
- taphonomy
- radiology
- radiographic comparisons
- trauma
- postmortem interval
- skeletal pathology
- isotopes
- sexual dimorphism
- age estimation
- population affinity
- stature
- forensic anthropology
- bone mineral density
- human skeletal variation
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