Author Archives: Mark Kersten

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About Mark Kersten

Mark Kersten is an Assistant Professor in the Criminology and Criminal Justice Department at the University of the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Canada, and a Senior Consultant at the Wayamo Foundation in Berlin, Germany. Mark is the founder of the blog Justice in Conflict and author of the book, published by Oxford University Press, by the same name. He holds an MSc and PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics and a BA (Hons) from the University of Guelph. Mark has previously been a Research Associate at the Refugee Law Project in Uganda, and as researcher at Justice Africa and Lawyers for Justice in Libya in London. He has taught courses on genocide studies, the politics of international law, transitional justice, diplomacy, and conflict and peace studies at the London School of Economics, SOAS, and University of Toronto. Mark’s research has appeared in numerous academic fora as well as in media publications such as The Globe and Mail, Al Jazeera, BBC, Foreign Policy, the CBC, Toronto Star, and The Washington Post. He has a passion for gardening, reading, hockey (on ice), date nights, late nights, Lego, and creating time for loved ones.

A Step Back to Take a Step Forward — The Future of Justice in Conflict

Over the last year or so, there have been suggestions that we are witnessing a slow-down in the investigation and prosecution of international crimes perpetrated in the context of ongoing violent political conflicts. Is this true? If it is, why … Continue reading →

Posted in Ahmad Al Mahdi Al Faqi (Abou Tourab), Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled, Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA), Conflict Resolution, ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Investigations, Justice in Conflict, Libya, Libya and the ICC, Libyan National Army, Mahmoud al-Werfalli, Mali, Office of the Prosecutor, Syria | 3 Comments

Mixing Immigration and Justice… Without Sacrificing One for the Other

Below is an article I wrote, a version of which originally appeared in the Globe and Mail, on the increasingly blurred lines between immigration policy and international criminal justice. While the focus of the piece is on the Canadian experience and what the … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Guatemala, Immigration, International Criminal Justice, International Justice Ambassador, International Law, Refugees, Syria | 3 Comments

A Steep Slope Awaits the Wheels of Justice in Central African Republic

Elise Keppler joins JiC for this guest-post on the ongoing efforts to achieve justice and accountability for atrocity crimes in the Central African Republic and the current state of the proposed Special Criminal Court. Elise is Associate International Justice Director at … Continue reading →

Posted in Central African Republic (CAR), Guest Posts, Hybrid Courts, Hybrid Tribunals, Special Criminal Court | 2 Comments

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: The Case for Expertise and Professionalism in Investigations

Andras Vamos-Goldman joins JiC for this post on the challenges of investigating sexual and gender-based violence crimes. Andras is the Executive Director of Justice Rapid Response, a public-private partnership that provides criminal justice and human rights professionals from a global, … Continue reading →

Posted in Investigations, Sexual and Gender Based Violence | Tagged , | 2 Comments

New Academic Article! Targeting Justice: Targets, Non-Targets and the Prospects for Peace with Justice

Dear readers, I am very happy to announce that I have had a new article published in the Canadian Foreign Policy Journal, entitled “Targeting Justice: Targets, Non-Targets and the Prospects for Peace with Justice“. The piece explores how the decisions … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Articles / Books, Hybrid Courts, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Libya, Libya and the ICC, northern Uganda, Peace Negotiations, Peace Processes | Leave a comment

Peace, Conflict, and Justice – The Course (And Syllabus)

It’s a wonderful time of the year. In many places around the world, it’s back to school. This year, that holds true for me too. Coinciding with my new responsibilities as the Deputy Director the Wayamo Foundation, over the next … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching Tools | Tagged | 1 Comment

“It is a good thing that we don’t know.” — An Interview with Bekim Blakaj on the Travails of Transitional Justice in Kosovo

Aidan Hehir joins JiC once again with this interview of Bekim Blakaj on the trials and tribulations facing Transitional Justice in Kosovo. Aidan is a Reader in International Relations at the University of Westminster. He has previously written for JiC … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest Posts, ICTY, Interview, Kosovo, Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Kosovo Relocated Specialist Judicial Institution (KRSJI), Serbia, Transitional Justice | Tagged | 4 Comments

Call for Papers! Hybrid Justice – Building Resilience After Conflict

The following is a call for papers for a special issue on hybrid courts, edited by Kirsten Ainley and myself, as part of our ongoing project examining the use, role, and impact of hybrid tribunals. One of the most dramatic shifts in … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Articles / Books, Hybrid Courts, Hybrid Tribunals | Leave a comment

Will the International Criminal Court’s latest target in Libya be brought to justice?

A version of this article was originally published at the Washington Post’s Monkey Cage website. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Libyan militant Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf al-Werfalli. The court claims that Werfalli — who operates … Continue reading →

Posted in ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Libya, Libya and the ICC, Libyan National Army, Mahmoud al-Werfalli, Qatar | Tagged | 1 Comment

New Paper Alert! Casting a Larger Shadow – Pre-Meditated Madness, the International Criminal Court, and Preliminary Examinations”

Attention among observers and scholars of international criminal justice has increasingly focused on what happens before the International Criminal Court (ICC) intervenes in a situation and issues arrest warrants for perpetrators of international crimes. Prior to the ICC opening an official … Continue reading →

Posted in Afghanistan, Deterrence, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Preliminary Examinations, United States | 7 Comments