International Criminal Law and Justice Queen Mary University of London

Overview

International criminal justice is at a crossroads. On the one hand, we now have an unprecedented ability to prosecute individuals accused of torture, genocide and crimes against humanity both domestically and internationally, emblematic of the extent to which these kinds of prosecutions have become normalised over the last seventy years. 

On the other hand, more and more countries have raised concerns about the efficacy  and fairness of international criminal prosecutions, arguing that they are selective or neocolonialist, biased or myopic. 

This is exemplified by the complex status and reception of the International Criminal Court, alternately lionised and criticised. This module introduces students to these debates and examines the legal and philosophical underpinnings of international criminal law and justice. 

Key Facts

Key topics in this  International Criminal Law and Justice course from Queen Mary University of London will be:

• the development of the laws that govern international criminal justice, including torture, genocide, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.

• the philosophical and historical origins of international criminal justice.

• the courts and tribunals that adjudicate these kinds of crime, including the International Criminal Court.

• the key challenges facing the greater implementation of these kinds of prosecutions, including the role of politics and of the international community, and questions of sovereignty and human rights.