The New Histories of International Criminal Law: Retrials (The History and Theory of International Law)

The language of international criminal law has considerable traction in global politics, and much of its legitimacy is embedded in apparently 'axiomatic' historical truths. This innovative edited collection brings together some of the world's leading international lawyers with a very clear mandate in mind: to re-evaluate ('retry') the dominant historiographical tradition in the field of international criminal law. Seventy years after Nuremberg and Tokyo, and twenty years after the Rome Conference, international criminal law seems to have developed a 'Whig' historiography of its own. This historiography at times creates a mythological life of past law and its institutions and actors, and on which-in the absence of a glorious present to laud-hopes for a shiny new future are built. This volume is boldly calling for a retrial of this historiographical tradition, in fact many of them: Retrials. Carefully curated, and with contributions by leading scholars, this book pursues three research objectives: to bring to the fore the structure and function of contemporary histories of international criminal law, to take issue with the consequences of these histories, and to call for their demystification. The essays discern several registers on which the received historiographical tradition must be retried: tropology; inclusions/exclusions; gender; race; representations of the victim and the perpetrator; history and memory; ideology and master narratives; international criminal law and hegemonic theories; and more. The book intervenes critically in the fields of international (criminal) law and international legal history by bringing in new voices and fresh approaches. Taken as a whole, it provides a rich account of the dilemmas, conundrums, and possibilities entailed in writing histories of international criminal law beyond, against, or in the shadow of the master narrative. Read more... The Language Of International Criminal Law Has Considerable Traction In Global Politics, And Much Of Its Legitimacy Is Embedded In Apparently 'axiomatic' Historical Truths. This Innovative Edited Collection Brings Together Some Of The World's Leading International Lawyers With A Very Clear Mandate In Mind: To Re-evaluate ('retry') The Dominant Historiographical Tradition In The Field Of International Criminal Law.0carefully Curated, And With Contributions By Leading Scholars, The New Histories Of International Criminal Law Pursues Three Research Objectives: To Bring To The Fore The Structure And Function Of Contemporary Histories Of International Criminal Law, To Take Issue With The Consequences Of These Histories, And To Call For Their Demystification. The Essays Discern Several Registers On Which The Received Historiographical Tradition Must Be Retried: Tropology; Inclusions/exclusions;gender; Race; Representations Of The Victim And The Perpetrator; History And Memory; Ideology And Master Narratives; International Criminal Law And Hegemonic Theories; And More.0this Book Intervenes Critically In The Fields Of International Criminal Law And International Legal History By Bringing In New Voices And Fresh Approaches. Taken As A Whole, It Provides A Rich Account Of The Dilemmas, Conundrums, And Possibilities Entailed In Writing Histories Of International Criminal Law Beyond, Against, Or In The Shadow Of The Master Narrative. Edited By Immi Tallgren And Thomas Skouteris. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Seventy years after Nuremberg and Tokyo, and twenty years after the Rome Conference, international criminal law seems to have developed a ‘Whig’ historiography of its own. This historiography at times creates a mythological life of past law and its institutions and actors, and on which—in the absence of a glorious present to laud—hopes for a shiny new future are built. This volume is boldly calling for a retrial of this historiographical tradition, in fact many of them: __Retrials__. Carefully curated, and with contributions by leading scholars, this book pursues three research objectives: to bring to the fore the structure and function of contemporary histories of international criminal law, to take issue with the consequences of these histories, and to call for their demystification. The essays discern several registers on which the received historiographical tradition must be retried: tropology; inclusions/exclusions; gender; race; representations of the victim and the perpetrator; history and memory; ideology and master narratives; international criminal law and hegemonic theories; and more. The book intervenes critically in the fields of international (criminal) law and international legal history by bringing in new voices and fresh approaches. Taken as a whole, it provides a rich account of the dilemmas, conundrums, and possibilities entailed in writing histories of international criminal law beyond, against, or in the shadow of the master narrative. The language of international criminal law has considerable traction in global politics, and much of its legitimacy is embedded in apparently 'axiomatic' historical truths. This innovative edited collection brings together some of the world's leading international lawyers with a very clear mandate in mind: to re-evaluate ('retry') the dominant historiographical tradition in the field of international criminal law. Carefully curated, and with contributions by leading scholars, The New Histories of International Criminal Law pursues three research objectives: to bring to the fore the structure and function of contemporary histories of international criminal law, to take issue with the consequences of these histories, and to call for their demystification. The essays discern several registers on which the received historiographical tradition must be retried: tropology; inclusions/exclusions; gender; race; representations of the victim and the perpetrator; history and memory; ideology and master narratives; international criminal law and hegemonic theories; and more. This book intervenes critically in the fields of international criminal law and international legal history by bringing in new voices and fresh approaches. Taken as a whole, it provides a rich account of the dilemmas, conundrums, and possibilities entailed in writing histories of international criminal law beyond, against, or in the shadow of the master narrative. In the past few decades the understandong of the relationship between nations has undergone a radical transformation. The role of the traditional nation-state is diminishing along with many of the traditional vocabularies which were once used to describe what has been called, ever since Jeremy Bentham coined the phrase in 1780 'international law'. The older boundaries between states are growing ever more fluid, new conceptions and new languages have emerged which are slowly coming to replace the image of a world of sovereign independant nation states which has dominated the study of international relations since the early nineteenth century. This redefinition of the international arena demands a new understanding of classical and contemporary questions ion international and legal theory. It is the editors' conviction that the best way to achieve this is by bridging the traditional divide between international legal theory, intellectual history, and legal and political history. The aim of the series, therefore, is to provide a forum for historical studies, from classical antiquity to the twenty-first century, that are theoretically informed and for philosophical work that is historically conscious, in the hop that a new vision of the rapidly evolving international world, its past and its possible future, may emerge