The Silent Proliferation of Traces: What Is Happening That (Almost) No One Is Talking About

Lecture by Olivier Ribaux
Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.
Room POL-2113, Université Laval

Registration required

(Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email allowing you to add the event to your calendar.)

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Abstract

The traceability of human activities has undergone a profound transformation with the rise of digital technologies. Historically associated with physical evidence identified at crime scenes—such as fingerprints, biological traces, or footwear impressions—traces have become increasingly diverse and pervasive within digitized environments. Despite these significant and tangible changes, scientific reflection on the role of traces remains surprisingly limited.

This lecture aims to illustrate this relative lack of attention within criminological and forensic practices and discourse. It will explore the potential implications for our disciplines of work conducted by an informally constituted international group of scholars. Ultimately, the lecture argues that the true revolution is not technological but cognitive: it compels us to rethink how traces are conceptualized and mobilized across established disciplinary boundaries.

Biography

Olivier Ribaux is Professor and Director of the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Lausanne.