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.

China, the ICC and Libya: A New Level of Hypocrisy?

Perhaps the most surprising element of UN Security Council Resolution 1970 (2011), which referred the situation in Libya to the ICC, was that it was supported unanimously. There is chatter on the blogosphere wondering where the African Union, which in … Continue reading

Posted in China, Human Rights, International Criminal Court (ICC), Libya, Sudan, UN Security Council | 1 Comment

Picture This: The ICC Trial of a “Delusional” Gaddafi

Today we get the news that an American diplomat has called Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi “delusional”. That makes enough sense. Gaddafi has denied that virtually anything bad is in Libya, playing a game of “if I can’t see it, it … Continue reading

Posted in Human Rights, Humour, ICTY, International Criminal Court (ICC), Libya, UN Security Council | 4 Comments

Did the UN Security Council Just Outsource Peace in Libya to the ICC?

Is it possible that the UN Security Council referral of the situation in Libya to ICC was an act of outsourcing responsibility for peace? In the peace-justice debate, some critics of the ICC go so far as to argue that … Continue reading

Posted in Balkans, International Criminal Court (ICC), Libya, Sudan, UN Security Council | 5 Comments

Libya Referred to the ICC – Initial Thoughts

The situation in Libya has been referred to the ICC by the UN Security Council. Much talk was made of international justice in Arab states in recent weeks. No doubt many are celebrating the impressive commitment the UN Security Council … Continue reading

Posted in Article 16, International Criminal Court (ICC), Libya, Libya and the ICC, Sudan, UN Security Council, United States | 14 Comments

Sri Lanka and the Best Transitional Justice Joke Ever?

The final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war were particularly brutal. It has been repeatedly alleged that both the Sri Lankan government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) committed war crimes. The International Crisis Group (ICG) … Continue reading

Posted in Asia, Humour, Sri Lanka, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions | 5 Comments

Biting the Hand that Feeds it: Transitional Justice as a Human Right?

There is a lot of confusion around what exactly a human right is, how we, as human beings, have them, where we have them from, and who is obligated to uphold them. Recent years have seen a burgeoning literature and … Continue reading

Posted in Human Rights, Liberal Peace, Transitional Justice | Leave a comment

Thaci, accused of Human Organ-Trafficking, becomes PM of Kosovo

Hashim Thaci, a man who was linked to charges of corruption and the trafficking of human organs, has been  elected as PM of Kosovo by an overwhelming majority. Thaci was a key political leader for the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) … Continue reading

Posted in Balkans, Europe, Humour, Kosovo | Leave a comment

International Criminal Justice Sweeping the Arab World?

“Genocide”, “war crimes”, “crimes against humanity”. All of these words have been invoked to describe recent events in the ever-tumultuous Arab world where popular movements have resulted in mass protests and the toppling of governments. This marks a dramatic shift … Continue reading

Posted in Arab League, Egypt, International Criminal Court (ICC), Libya, Middle East, Tunisia | 3 Comments

Sudan’s Bashir to Step Down – But Why?

Reports out of Sudan indicate that President Omar al-Bashir will not run for the Presidency of the country in the next elections, set to take place 4 years from now. Bashir, who has been indicted by the ICC for war … Continue reading

Posted in Egypt, International Criminal Court (ICC), Middle East, Peace Negotiations, Southern Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, United States | 2 Comments

Welcome to Justice in Conflict!

Karl Marx once exclaimed that “the criminal produces not only crimes, but also criminal law, and with this the professor who gives lectures on criminal law.” Clearly, then, the criminal also produces bloggers. Welcome to Justice in Conflict! The impetus … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment