The Computational Political Science for Democracy (CPS4D) Working Group opened its Spring semester with a timely and impactful presentation by Jorge Ruiz Reyes, titled “Where Are They? Using Spatial Technologies to Support the Search for Missing Persons in Mexico.”
The talk examined how geospatial analysis and remote sensing technologies can support families and civil society organizations searching for victims of enforced disappearances in Baja California. Drawing on a collaborative project launched in 2016 with NGOs, universities, and public institutions, Ruiz Reyes presented a three-layer model combining point pattern analysis, clandestine space analysis, and satellite imagery. This approach has helped reduce search areas by up to 80 percent and has contributed to the identification of more than 260 clandestine graves.
Beyond its technical contributions, the presentation emphasized the ethical and political dimensions of applying data science in contexts of widespread human rights violations. Participants discussed the challenges of incomplete and biased data, the importance of incorporating qualitative knowledge from families and local organizations, and the responsibilities of researchers working with sensitive information.
The session also highlighted ongoing efforts to make the project’s tools open source, expand data collection through partnerships and freedom-of-information requests, and replicate the methodology in other regions of Mexico. Overall, the meeting showcased how computational methods can meaningfully contribute to accountability, justice, and democratic governance when developed in close collaboration with affected communities.
The discussion set a strong tone for the semester, reaffirming CPS4D’s commitment to interdisciplinary, socially engaged, and ethically grounded research.
