title: Police, anthropometry, and fingerprinting: the transnational history of identification systems from Rio de la Plata to Brazil.
abstract: The article explores the transnational circulation of methods for identifying people in South America. It analyzes both the implementation of the anthropometric system at police departments in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil starting in the 1890s, as well as the criticisms that were aimed at this method when fingerprinting took hold in the region in the early twentieth century. In a context of a heavy worldwide flow of ideas, experts, and technologies in policing, "bertillonage" was discussed and underwent hybridization in Latin America. The history of the anthropometric system in these three countries involved many travels by physicians, jurists, and police agents to Paris, debates over its suitability to local contexts, and an open controversy about identification techniques.
authors.affiliation: Professora e pesquisadora, Instituto de Ciências/Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento. Juan María Gutierrez, 1150. Caixa Postal 1613. 1613 - Los Polvorines - PBA - Argentina. mgarciaferrari@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mercedes García
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Professor, Departamento de História/Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro. Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225. 22451-900 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brasil. dgaleano@puc-rio.br.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galeano