L'Officiel in collaboration with TEDxDaltVila: Bob Trafford
Bob Trafford is an assistant director at Forensic Architecture, an investigative organisation that seeks to uncover truth in an era of misinformation and political manipulation. His work revolves around examining state violence, human rights violations and the shifting landscape of truth and facts.
What does the term ‘post-fact world’ mean to you?
The idea of a post-fact or post-truth world really came into global consciousness around 2016, particularly in response to Trump’s election. But for many marginalised communities, this isn’t a new phenomenon. What we’re experiencing now is a shift where truth is no longer determined by evidence alone but by who holds the power to define it. That’s a dangerous development, one that makes accountability even harder to achieve. I think we’re seeing this accelerate in some unsettling ways, where truth is contested not just politically but structurally, within institutions and the media.
How does forensic architecture work to uncover truth in this landscape?
Forensic architecture investigates state violence, human rights abuses and environmental destruction by analysing digital evidence, witness testimony and spatial reconstructions. Our role is to go beyond traditional journalism or legal advocacy - we create detailed investigations that challenge official narratives. Historically, we worked with governments and media outlets like The New York Times and The Guardian to expose the truth. But as institutions lose credibility and misinformation spreads, we have to rethink how we present facts. It’s no longer enough to produce evidence - we have to ensure that it reaches the public in a way that resonates and can’t be easily dismissed.
What is counter-forensics and why is it necessary?
Typically, forensic investigations are led by the state. The state determines what happened, investigates itself and delivers justice - at least in theory. But what happens when the state is responsible for the crime? You can’t ask a system to hold itself accountable. That’s where counter-forensics comes in. Our job is to investigate from the outside. We analyse satellite imagery, social media videos, sound analysis and witness testimonies to reconstruct events independently. We’re often locked out of official crime scenes, so we have to innovate - finding ways to prove what happened even when those in power would rather suppress the truth.
Given the nature of your work, how do you stay hopeful?
Honestly, it’s not always easy. We deal with some of the darkest aspects of human rights violations, and it can be overwhelming. But there is hope in the work itself. Human rights, international justice, and accountability are fundamentally optimistic concepts - they assert that the world should be better and that we can hold power to account. And beyond that, I draw strength from the communities we work with. The resilience of survivors, families seeking justice, and activists fighting for change is incredibly inspiring. Their persistence reminds me why this work matters.
