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.

Seeing the Forest for the Trees: The International Criminal Court and the Peace-Justice Debate

This article is a critical assessment of the scholarship and current state of the so-called “peace versus justice” debate. It is largely based on findings from my new book, which seeks to assess the impacts of the ICC on ending … Continue reading →

Posted in "Peace versus Justice" Debate, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Justice, Peace Negotiations, Peace Processes, Peacebuilding | 7 Comments

Cutting Through the Noise – The African Group for Justice and Accountability on the ICC-Africa Relationship

The relationship between the International Criminal Court (ICC) and African states is coming under renewed scrutiny at the 27th African Union Summit, currently taking place in Kigali, Rwanda. The outcome of the summit for ICC-African relations will be determined over … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Africa Group for Justice and Accountability (AGJA), African Union (AU), International Criminal Court (ICC) | 1 Comment

Updated: What We Know (and Don’t Know) About Saif Gaddafi’s ‘Release’

Where in the world is Saif al-Islam Gaddafi? Rumours about his whereabouts and the circumstances he faces have been swirling for weeks. Saif, the former heir-apparent to his father’s rule over Libya, faces an indictment at the International Criminal Court … Continue reading →

Posted in Libya, Libya and the ICC, Uncategorized | Tagged | 4 Comments

Let’s Avoid Politicizing the Genocide Against Yazidis

There is no doubt that genocidal acts have been perpetrated against the Yazidi people by the Islamic State (ISIS). A recent report by United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria has given credence to political declarations in the United States, … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA), Genocide, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Justice Ambassador, Iraq, ISIS, Islamic State, Syria, Terrorism, UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, United Kingdom, United Nations, United States, Yazidi Genocide | Tagged | 13 Comments

It Continues… Kenyatta’s (Suspended) Communications Staff Threatens to Sue New York Times

The Kenya – New York Times saga continues. For those of who haven’t had a chance to follow, here’s a recap: The New York Times published a scathing article and critique of the International Criminal Court’s intervention in Kenya (see … Continue reading →

Posted in Kenya, Kenya and the ICC | Tagged , | 5 Comments

As New York Times – Kenya Controversy Continues, Kenyatta Suspends Four Staff

The controversy between the Kenyan government and the New York Times over a hard-hitting story on the International Criminal Court’s record in Kenya has shown no signs of abating. Late last week, the office of Kenyan President slammed the Times … Continue reading →

Posted in Kenya, Kenya and the ICC | Tagged | Leave a comment

The New York Times Shoots Back, Won’t Apologize to Kenyatta for ICC Story

It’s a fascinating story that, for whatever reason, simply won’t go away. Frankly, maybe it shouldn’t. The more this drags on, the more we learn about the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its intervention in Kenya as well as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Kenya, Kenya and the ICC | Leave a comment

Updated: Kenya’s President Rips into New York Times Article Largely Favourable to Him

This story gets weirder by the day. Last week, the New York Times published a fascinating article by James Verini exploring the record of former ICC chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo and, specifically, his record in Kenya. It wasn’t pretty. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Kenya, Kenya and the ICC | Tagged , | 4 Comments

A Comment In Defence of Luis Moreno-Ocampo

One of the most rewarding aspects of writing in the public domain is the feedback and commentary it generates — even, perhaps especially, when it’s critical. In response to my earlier post on former chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s record at … Continue reading →

Posted in International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Luis Moreno-Ocampo | 4 Comments

A Brutally Honest Confrontation with the ICC’s Past: Thoughts on ‘The Prosecutor and the President’

In the world of international justice, it’s often said that states and societies must confront the past in order to move forward. But the same is true of the International Criminal Court (ICC): the institution needs to learn from its … Continue reading →

Posted in International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Kenya, Kenya and the ICC, Luis Moreno-Ocampo | 8 Comments