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.

Silver Linings: Bashir’s Visit to South Africa
 and its Implications for the ICC

There has been much speculation over the controversial trip by Sudan’s President, Omar al-Bashir to South Africa this week and its implications for the International Criminal Court (ICC). Here are some of my thoughts on subject. This article was originally … Continue reading

Posted in African Union (AU), Darfur, Genocide, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, South Africa | Tagged | 6 Comments

The ICC and ISIS: Be Careful What You Wish For

Over the past few weeks, JiC has covered issues pertaining to international justice and accountability in Syria and Iraq, including the wisdom of a United Nations Security Council referral of the Islamic State to the International Criminal Court (ICC). This … Continue reading

Posted in ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Iraq, ISIS, Justice, Libya, Libya and the ICC, Middle East, Syria, UN Security Council, War crimes | 11 Comments

Changing the Way We Talk To, and About, Each Other: Nation-Building and Aboriginal Abuses in Canada

The statistics are shocking, the numbers unbecoming of a modern, liberal, and democratic state like Canada. And yet, when Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its long-awaited report last week, many Canadians were likely surprised to be confronted with the … Continue reading

Posted in Canada, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, Truth Commission | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Justice and Accountability in Syria: The Limited Options at Hand

Shikha Dilawri and Mark Lattimer join JiC for this guest-post on the options available for achieving justice and accountability in Syria. Mark is the Director of the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and co-editor of Justice for Crimes Against Humanity. … Continue reading

Posted in Guest Posts, ISIS, Justice, Syria, Transitional Justice | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

When International Criminal Justice and FIFA Collide

They may seem like bizarre bedfellows, but the worlds of international criminal justice and football / soccer have collided on a number of rather awkward occasions. In light of all the hoopla from last week’s dramatic arrest of a handful … Continue reading

Posted in ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, International Law, Justice, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Special Court for SIerra Leone (SCSL) | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

What Happened to the ICC in Mali?

Given how seldom it is mentioned these days, it may actually be surprising to recall that the International Criminal Court (ICC) still has an ongoing investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Mali since 2012. The ICC … Continue reading

Posted in International Criminal Court (ICC), Mali, Peace Negotiations, Peace Processes | 6 Comments

The Master of Confessions – Thierry Cruvellier on the ECCC’s Duch Trial

Chris Tenove is a semi-regular Justice in Conflict blogger, and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Toronto. He reported on the Duch trial at the ECCC for Macleans’ magazine and Radio Netherlands. When the Khmer Rouge were driven from … Continue reading

Posted in Cambodia, Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), Hybrid Tribunals, International Criminal Justice | 3 Comments

Why Central African Republic’s Hybrid Tribunal Could be a Game-Changer

A new international criminal tribunal is born. Following pressure from international human rights groups and the United Nations, the Central African Republic (CAR) has established a hybrid tribunal with the aim of prosecuting atrocities committed by Séléka and anti-Balaka forces … Continue reading

Posted in Amnesty, Central African Republic (CAR), Hybrid Tribunals, International Criminal Court (ICC), Special Criminal Court | 23 Comments

Victims at the ICC – Who’s Representing Who?

Luke Moffett joins JiC for this fascinating article on the battle for victim participation and representation in the context of northern Uganda. Luke is a law lecturer in Queen’s University Belfast and is author of Justice for Victims before the … Continue reading

Posted in International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Uganda, Victim Participation | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Repairing and Reparations: Buying Victims’ Silence in the DRC?

Mattia Cacciatori joins JiC for this post on the challenges of providing effective and appropriate reparations from the International Criminal Court. Mattia is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Bath, focusing on the role of superpowers in the administration … Continue reading

Posted in Democratic Republic of Congo, International Criminal Court (ICC), Reparations, Transitional Justice, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, Truth Commission | Tagged | 6 Comments