Introduction: Doubting Expert Opinions

This chapter highlights the often uncertain and inconclusive nature of international political data. It specifically examines the number of deaths caused by malaria and the proportion of civilian deaths in armed conflicts. In response to such uncertainty, this book adopts a position of critical functionalism. This perspective analyzes data from three aspects: scientific durability, social reliability, and functionality, and questions their degrees. The book states that data in international politics cannot be judged by a binary of true or false. Furthermore, this chapter introduces a model where the reality of war is converted into data on armed conflict (DAC) through international norms and the scientific analytical process. In addition, it introduces the concept of a humanitarian network as a collective of actors deeply involved in the development of international norms and the scientific analytical process.