Sage Political Science & International Relations

We talk with Oliver Belcher about his article “Sensing, Territory, Population” in which he analyses the introduction and operation of a computerised pacification reporting system during the Vietnam War, shedding new light on the military-colonial history of computers. We explore at length the history, ramifications, and contemporary legacy of the Hamlet Evaluation System and discuss the author’s experience of working with a unique archive. Hosted by Antoine Bousquet. SDI Podcast Number 25: Oliver Belcher: Sensing, Territory, Population: Computation, Embodied Sensors, and Hamlet Control in the Vietnam War