Understandings of Vulnerability and Social Determinants of Health in Forensic and Expert Social Anthropology: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Forensic and expert social anthropology (FESA) is a branch of social anthropology that specialises in the provision of evidence to legal-administrative processes, which are overseen by courts and other legally empowered bodies, and which give regard to the social cultures of legally and administratively involved individuals and communities (LAIICs). Despite a preoccupation with political advocacy in the broader philosophy of social anthropology, FESA literature does not typically give regard to LAIIC vulnerability defined qualitatively in terms of social determinants of health, including physical, mental, and social well-being. This paper presents findings from a JBI/PRISMA-ScR scoping review of n=1,674 texts, identifying eight recurrent practice concerns in the relevant literature. Findings indicate that LAIIC vulnerability ranks only sixth among FESA practice concerns. This article serves as a study of FESA models of LAIIC vulnerability and social determinants of health and an unprecedented demonstration of scoping review methodology applied to social anthropological literature.