International Criminal and Transitional Justice

Overview

Since the Second World War international criminal justice has emerged as a body of law to hold individuals responsible for mass atrocities. This module aims to introduce students to the key questions on the relationships between international law, justice and the transition from conflict in the 21st century through an exploration of law, criminological and social theory and case studies. The module adopts a broad interdisciplinary approach to mapping these connected issues and draws on a range of source and geo-political contexts (Latin America and Africa). It touches on contemporary controversies with international justice and domestic political conflicts, such as the intervention of the ICC in Palestine, criminal responsibility child soldiers, and reparations by multinational corporations.

Learning Objectives

On completion of this module each student should be conversant with:

1. the theory and practice of international criminal justice and transitional justice;
2. the broad patterns, dynamics and contexts of contemporary international crimes;
3. the occurrence of international crimes within different jurisdictions and the work of the international criminal courts and tribunals;
4. the relevant primary and secondary legal and factual materials to understand the relationship between international, national and local community based conceptions of justice; and
5. alternative accountability mechanisms beyond international criminal justice.

Skills

Students will gain the following skills:
1. the ability to apply different methods and tools for engaging in independent research on international crimes and developing reasoned conclusions;
2. develop critical perspectives on debates in criminal and alternative justice responses to such crimes;
3. critical understanding and application of international criminal law and procedure in solving practical problem scenarios;
4. communication and advocacy skills developed through debates, moot court sessions and presentations; and
5. familiarity with online website development tools.

Assessment

The course will involve twelve weekly two hour seminars to outline and discuss the issues raised by each topic. Seminars are lecturer led, but involve the participation of students through practical exercises, such as discussions, problem questions, case studies, and quizzes through personal response systems. E-learning will enable students to build their understanding in groups and contribute to each others’ learning through the development of monitored discussion forums and wiki entries on Queens’ Online (QOL).

The assessment will be an exam worth 100%.