OSINT supporting scientific research

The work of Yves Denéchère, scientific coordinator of the AdoptRisk programme, has inspired an OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) module dedicated to illegal practices in the adoption of foreign children. Designed by students with the support of the Angers University Library (BUA), it offers a documented exploration of a subject that is increasingly prominent in the public sphere.

Players must use publicly available data in order to progress with the investigation.OSINT, or open-source intelligence, allows data to be collected and analysed from publicly accessible sources. This approach was used for creating the online module Illegal Practices in International Adoption, launched on 25 March. It draws on the work of Yves Denéchère, professor of contemporary history at the University of Angers, director of the EnJeux centre (the Loire University Centre for Studies on Children and Youth) and scientific coordinator of the AdoptRisk programme.

“International adoption is a field of research that brings together political, legal, social and ethical dimensions,” explains Yves Denéchère, who has contributed his expertise to the module. “The use of open-access sources allows us to examine contemporary practices relating to the protection of children’s rights and the fight against abuses in the adoption process. This module, created by six students during their placement at the Temos laboratory, is part of a wider effort to disseminate knowledge.”

A deeper understanding of the issues

The module is available on the Osint4Fun platform, developed by the University of Angers, to help participants learn documentary research methods. It takes the form of an interactive narrative in which participants follow the – fictional – story of two friends, Céline and Julie, who set out to investigate the world of international adoption. Players are immersed in the heart of a sensitive subject and must complete a series of exercises: finding the title of a documentary, the names of historians from the University of Angers who have published a study on the subject. It is, in particular, an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the issues of identity and memory faced by people who have been adopted.

“The story consists of 23 challenges that open one after the other as soon as the correct answer is validated,” continues Damien Hamard, Deputy Director of Archives and Research at the University Library. “The answers can be found online: some are readily available, whilst others may require in-depth research and/or analysis of the information. As well as serving an educational purpose, the journey highlights the publications and scientific work of AdoptRisk researchers. These academic outputs are integrated into the interactive narrative, facilitating a clear and contextualised understanding of the issues.”

Start the module
(in French)