This book explores the normative dimensions of the acts that constitute international crimes. The book conceptualises the normative dimensions of these acts as processes of construction and meaning making. Developing a novel methodological approach, it identifies the narratives and discourses that emerge in practice as central for understanding the normative meanings of these acts. Using the crimes of attacks on cultural property, pillage, sexual violence and reproductive violence as case studies, the book offers a historical, conceptual, and discursive analysis of these crimes to develop a dynamic, pluralist and socially constructed account of wrong in international criminal law.
This volume deals with the tension between unity and diversification which has gained a central place in the debate under the label of ‘fragmentation’. It explores the meaning, articulation and risks of this phenomenon in a specific area: International Criminal Justice. It brings together established and fresh voices who analyse different sites and contestations of this concept, as well as its context and specific manifestations in the interpretation and application of International Criminal Law. The volume thereby connects discourse on ‘fragmentation’ with broader inquiry on the merits and discontents of legal pluralism in ‘Public International Law’.
This volume presents an overview of the principal features of the legacy of International Tribunals and an assessment of their impact on the International Criminal Court and on the review of the Rome Statute. It illustrates the foundation of a system of international criminal law and justice by using case studies to provide advice for possible future developments in international criminal procedure and law.
International criminal justice relies on messages, speech acts, and performative practices in order to convey social meaning. Major criminal proceedings, such as Nuremberg, Tokyo, and other post-World War II trials have been branded as 'spectacles of didactic legality'. However, the expressive and communicative functions of law are often side-lined in institutional discourse and legal practice. This innovative work brings these functions centre-stage, developing the idea of justice as message and outlining the expressivist foundations of international criminal justice in a systematic way. Professor Carsten Stahn examines the origins of the expressivist theory in the sociology of law and the justification of punishment, its articulation in practice, and its broader role as method of international law. He shows that expression and communication is not only an inherent part of the punitive functions of international criminal justice, but is represented in a whole spectrum of practices: norm expression and diffusion, institutional actions, performative aspects of criminal procedures, and repair of harm. He argues that expressivism is not a classical justification of justice or punishment on its own, but rather a means to understand its aspirations and limitations, to explain how justice is produced and to ground punishment rationales. This book is an invitation to think beyond the confines of the legal discipline, and to engage with the multidisciplinary foundations and possibilities of the international criminal justice project.
Members of racial groups are protected under international law against genocide, persecution, and apartheid. But what is race - and why was this contentious term not discussed when drafting the Statute of the International Criminal Court? Although the law uses this term, is it legitimate to talk about race today, let alone convict anyone for committing a crime against a racial group? This book is the first comprehensive study of the concept of race in international criminal law. It explores the theoretical underpinnings for the crimes of genocide, apartheid, and persecution, and analyses all the relevant legal instruments, case law, and scholarship. It exposes how the international criminal tribunals have largely circumvented the topic of race, and how incoherent jurisprudence has resulted in inconsistent protection. The book provides important new interpretations of a problematic concept by subjecting it to a multifaceted and interdisciplinary analysis. The study argues that race in international criminal law should be constructed according to the perpetrator's perception of the victims' ostensible racial otherness. The perpetrator's imagination as manifested through his behaviour defines the victims' racial group membership. It will be of interest to students and practitioners of international criminal law, as well as those studying genocide, apartheid, and race in domestic and international law.
The interpretive process in International Criminal Law (›ICL‹) is characterised by a conflict between the requirements for stability and change. On the one hand, ICL provides for the ›criminal‹ responsibility of individuals. Thus, there is an enhanced requirement for legal certainty: According to the principle of legality, the addressee of the law must be able to identify the prohibited conduct in advance in order to be able to avoid criminal sanctions. On the other hand, however, ICL forms part of ›international‹ law. Hence, it derives to some extent from international treaties. Whereas the forms of criminal conduct are continuously evolving, treaties are rather static instruments – they cannot be adapted to a changing environment within a short period of time. Thus, reality is developing at a pace that the law cannot always match. In consequence, there is a certain need to account for evolving circumstances within the framework of interpretation. The aim of this book is to review the consequences of this conflict for the interpretation of ICL. How can the conflicting requirements be brought into balance? Can substantive rules of ICL be interpreted in a ›dynamic‹ fashion to the detriment of the accused without violating the principle of legality? How do international criminal courts and tribunals deal with this issue?
International criminal justice is challenged to better reflect legitimate victim interest. This book provides a framework for achieving synthesis between restorative and retributive dimensions within international criminal trials in order to achieve the peace-making aspirations of the International Criminal Court.
'This timely, valuable and thought-provoking contribution to our understanding of the vibrant new subject that is international criminal law, is a great addition to the literature and to our understanding. Professor Bart Brown deserves real appreciation for bringing it together.' – Philippe Sands QC, University College London and Matrix Chambers, UK 'The Research Handbook is a comprehensive up-to-date guide to one of the youngest yet most dynamic areas of international law. It tackles the pertinent challenges and opportunities, starting with the classical issues like categories of international crimes and complementarity, going on to address the problems ahead including the Guantánamo regime, crimes against women and the status of private security contractors. The Handbook will be a valuable source for both general and advanced international criminal law research.' – James Crawford, Cambridge University, UK This carefully regarded and well-structured handbook covers the broad range of norms, practices, policies, processes and institutional mechanisms of international criminal law, exploring how they operate and continue to develop in a variety of contexts. Leading scholars in the field and experienced practitioners have brought together their expertise and perspectives in a clear and concise fashion to create an authoritative resource, which will be useful and accessible even to those without legal training. The Research Handbook on International Criminal Law will appeal to practitioners who may want to defend, or prosecute, international criminal law cases, and academics researching and writing on international criminal law. Graduate students studying international criminal law, international human rights or international humanitarian law as well as those studying international justice, international politics, international organization or public policy analysis, will also find this book invaluable.
Principles of International Criminal Law has become one of the most influential textbooks in the field of international criminal justice. It offers a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the foundations and general principles of substantive international criminal law, including thorough discussion of its core crimes. It provides a detailed understanding of the general principles, sources, and evolution of international criminal law, demonstrating how it has developed, and how its application has changed. After establishing the general principles, the book assesses the four key international crimes as defined by the statute of the International Criminal Court: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. This new edition revises and updates work with developments in international criminal justice since 2009. It includes new material on the principle of culpability as one of the fundamental principles of international criminal law, the notion of terrorism as a crime under international law, the concept of direct participation in hostilities, the problem of so-called unlawful combatants, and the issue of targeted killings. The book retains its highly-acclaimed systematic approach and consistent methodology, making the book essential reading for both students and scholars of international criminal law, as well as for practitioners and judges working in the field.
