Mortality data in the age of drones ^‡

Area of Science:

• Conflict studies
• Humanitarian response
• Data collection methodology

Background:

• Mortality data is crucial for humanitarian, legal, and ethical responses in conflict zones.
• The increasing use of drone warfare introduces novel challenges to data accuracy and reliability.
• Existing methods for mortality data collection may be insufficient in the context of drone conflict.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the methodological challenges in collecting mortality data during drone warfare.
• To investigate the political challenges affecting mortality data collection in drone conflict.
• To analyze how public discourse framing of drones impacts data collection.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of existing literature on conflict mortality data.
• Examination of case studies related to drone warfare and civilian casualties.
• Discourse analysis of media and policy documents concerning drone technology.

Main Results:

• Methodological hurdles include difficulties in verification, access, and attribution of casualties.
• Political challenges involve state secrecy, censorship, and the normalization of remote warfare.
• Public framing of drones as 'surgical' or 'precise' can obscure the reality of civilian harm and impede data collection.

Conclusions:

• The unique nature of drone warfare necessitates new approaches to mortality data collection.
• Addressing methodological and political barriers is essential for accurate humanitarian assessments.
• Critical examination of public discourse is vital to ensure accountability in drone conflict.