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.

Palestine and the ICC: Peace First, Justice (Maybe) Later

News that Palestine and Israel have committed to a new round of US-brokered negotiations has been met with a mix of curiosity and caution. No surprise there. We’ve seen this show before. While it is undoubtedly useful to be positive … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Palestine, Palestine and the ICC | Tagged | 5 Comments

A Rebel’s Escape – An LRA Commander Tells His Story

Scott Ross joins JiC to report and share his thoughts on the story of Caesar Acellam, the rebel commander who defected from the Lord’s Resistance Army last year. Scott is the author of the blog Backslash Scott and is a graduate … Continue reading

Posted in Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of Congo, Justice, Kwoyelo Trial, Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Uganda | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

The Justice in and of Death

Somewhere in Sudan, Ali Kushayb is recovering from injuries that very nearly took his life. Kushayb, a Janjaweed leader wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on allegations that he committed crimes against humanity in Darfur, was attacked in an … Continue reading

Posted in Darfur, Justice, Nuremberg, Nuremberg Trials, Osama bin Laden, Osama bin Laden and international law | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

In the ICC’s Interest: Between ‘Pragmatism’ and ‘Idealism’?

It is a regular occurrence to hear how the International Criminal Court (ICC) serves the interests of of particular actors, be it warring governments, rebel groups, or members of the international community more broadly. Rarely, however, have scholars and observers considered how … Continue reading

Posted in Deputy Prosecutor, ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), Justice | Tagged | 6 Comments

Could the International Criminal Court be a Development Agency?

Teddy Nicholson joins JiC with this unique and insightful guest-post on the relationship between development and international criminal justice. A version of this piece was originally posted on the new site, The Development Blog. Check it out! When we talk … Continue reading

Posted in Development, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Law, Justice | 2 Comments

Backing the ICC: Why Botswana Stands Alone Amongst AU States

In the midst of the recent rancour and controversy in the relationship between African Union (AU) member states and the International Criminal Court (ICC), it was all too easy to forget that one state decided to take a rather valiant stand. … Continue reading

Posted in African Union (AU), Botswana, International Criminal Court (ICC), Kenya, Kenya and the ICC | 12 Comments

Plus Ça Change: Museveni and the ICC

Judging by his recent statements, Yoweri Museveni has had it with the International Criminal Court (ICC). In the midst of ongoing acrimony between the African Union and the ICC, the Ugandan President has led the charge with a vocal and … Continue reading

Posted in International Criminal Court (ICC), Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Uganda | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

ICC Rules: Saif Gaddafi Should be Tried in The Hague, Not Libya

Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have finally ruled on Libya’s admissibility challenge regarding Saif al-Islam Gadadfi. The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber has decided against Libya’s request to try Saif in Libya and have reiterated their demand that Saif be surrendered … Continue reading

Posted in Admissibility, International Criminal Court (ICC), Libya, Libya and the ICC | Tagged | 2 Comments

Africa and the ICC: Some Unsolicited Advice

Allegations that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is biased against Africa aren’t going away. On the contrary, in the wake of the victory of Uhuru Kenyatta in Kenya’s recent Presidential elections, they seem to be increasingly common. Most recently, at … Continue reading

Posted in African Union (AU), International Criminal Court (ICC), UN Security Council, United States | Tagged , , , , | 34 Comments

The ICC and North Korea: Let’s Talk Justice

The International Criminal Court and North Korea. It is remarkable how seldom these two have been used in the same sentence. This despite the fact that perhaps no regime since the end of WWII has benefitted from impunity more than … Continue reading

Posted in International Criminal Court (ICC), North Korea, UN Security Council | Tagged | 2 Comments