Tag Archives: history

The Dynamics and Moral ambiguities of Perpetration: Exploring the Intersection of Individual Agency and Structural Factors in Atrocity Crimes

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Mark Kersten

The following article, by Dr. Mina Rauschenbach, is part of JiC’s ongoing symposium on Alette Smeulers’ new book “Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal?”. Mina is Research Fellow at the Leuven Institute of Criminology (KU Leuven), an independent consultant, and a certified … Continue reading →

Posted in International Criminal Justice, Symposium Introduction - A JiC Symposium on Alette Smeulers'  "Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal? | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Traumatized Perpetrator – “I actually murdered somebody. I felt very bad about that and I just wanted to run away.”

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Mark Kersten

The following contribution by Bart Nauta is part of JiC’s ongoing symposium on Alette Smeulers’ new book “Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal?”. Bart is a historian and interdisciplinary researcher at ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre and a PhD … Continue reading →

Posted in Argentina, Crimes against humanity, South Africa, Symposium Introduction - A JiC Symposium on Alette Smeulers'  "Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal?, Vietnam, War crimes | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Introduction – A JiC Symposium on Alette Smeulers’  “Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal?”

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Mark Kersten

What forces make and shape perpetrators of mass atrocities? What makes them tick and ultimately resort to horrific violence? What explains their behaviour, and their decision to resort to the commission of international crimes? What can understanding different motivations and … Continue reading →

Posted in Crimes against humanity, Genocide, International Criminal Justice, Symposium Introduction - A JiC Symposium on Alette Smeulers'  "Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal?, Transitional Justice, War crimes | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Who commits international crimes? A typology of perpetrators

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Mark Kersten

This post is Alette Smeulers‘ introduction to JiC’s symposium on her book, Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal?. Smeulers is a professor at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Her research takes an inter- and multidisciplinary approach, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alette Smeulers, International Criminal Justice, Symposium Introduction - A JiC Symposium on Alette Smeulers'  "Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal?, War crimes | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s time for states to put their money – and Russian assets – where their mouths are

Posted on April 7, 2025 by Mark Kersten

Given the presence of the Orange Man in the White House, defenders of democracy and the international rule of law can no longer count on the United States for support. Other countries need to step up. One way to do … Continue reading →

Posted in Asset Recovery, Asset Seizure, Canada, Russia, Ukraine | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Past Roams in the Present: Transitional Justice, Fascist Cultural Property, and Mussolini’s Chicago Footprint 

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Mark Kersten

Mark A. Drumbl is Class of 1975 Alumni Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University, where he also directs the Transnational Law Institute. Many thanks to Ana Laura Coria for research assistance, and Inge Gruenwald, Barbora Holá, Mark Kersten, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Crimes, Fascism, Italy, Transitional Justice, United States | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

To change the we as well as the me and the you: Concluding the Symposium on Informers Up Close

Posted on October 16, 2024 by Mark Kersten

Mark A. Drumbl and Barbora Holá join JiC for this concluding contribution to our Symposium on their new book, Informers Up Close. To access all of the other contributions the symposium, please see here. So I turned myself to face me … Continue reading →

Posted in Czech Republic, Czechoslovakia, Europe, Informers Up Close Symposium, Transitional Justice | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lustration of Informers to Promote Trust

Posted on October 11, 2024 by Mark Kersten

The following is the final contribution to our ongoing symposium on Mark Drumbl and Barbora Holá’s new book Informers up Close. It was written by Cynthia Horne, a Professor Political Science at Western Washington University. To see all of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Czech Republic, Czechoslovakia, Europe, Informers Up Close Symposium, Transitional Justice | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Politics of Ambivalence: Revisiting the Communist Past with Drumbl and Holá

Posted on October 9, 2024 by Mark Kersten

The following contribution to JiC’s ongoing symposium on Informers Up Close comes from Patryk I. Labuda. Patryk is an assistant professor of international law and international relations at Central European University in Vienna and a researcher on the ‘Memocracy’ project at the Polish … Continue reading →

Posted in Czech Republic, Czechoslovakia, Europe, Historical Justice, Informers Up Close Symposium, Transitional Justice, Ukraine | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An alleged ISIS war criminal has been arrested in Canada. How did he get in, and why won’t Canada prosecute his alleged atrocities?

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Mark Kersten

In 2018, Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi arrived at Toronto’s Pearson Airport. After his application for refugee status was accepted in 2019, he received a work permit. He then became a permanent resident in 2021. Subsequently, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Iraq, ISIS, Syria, Terrorism, Universal Jurisdiction, War crimes | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments