This book examines the methodological problems of accounting for the dead in armed conflicts as well as how the process itself is open to manipulation and controversy. Inspired by the work of the International Practitioner Network of casualty recording organizations, the book features thematic analysis, case studies and historical discussion on the use of the body count towards political, humanitarian and military ends.

Chapter 1: General Introduction: Armed Conflicts and the Body Count: an Issue for Population Studies and Development: Marc-Antoine Pérouse de Montclos.- Part I: Methodologies, Development Issues and Politics: Chapter 2: Development Consequences of Armed Conflict: Scott Gates. Havard Hegre, Havard Mokleiv Nygard and Havard Strand.- Chapter 3: Numbers Count: Dead Bodies, Statistics and the Politics of Armed Conflicts: Marc-Antoine Pérouse de Montclos.- Chapter 4: Accounting for Civilian Casualties: From the Past to the Future: Nicholas Jewell, Michael Spagat and Britta Jewell.- Chapter 5: The ICRC, Confidentiality, Neutrality and Missing Persons, from a historical perspective: Isabelle Vonèche-Cardia.- Part II: Annexes: Case Studies of the Experience of Practitioners: Chapter 6: Recording Casualties of Explosive Violence: Evidence-based Advocacy in Practice: Henry Dodd and Robert Perkins.- Chapter 7: Measuring the Burden of Conflict through Local Newspapers: Findings from the ManipurMicro-level Insurgency Events Database of 2008-2009: Samrat Sinha.- Chapter 8: Documenting Human Losses in Croatia 1991 - 1995: Igor Roginek.- Chapter 9: Conclusion: The Demographics of War and Development: Issues for Policy-makers: Marc-Antoine Pérouse de Montclos.- Index.