International Criminal Justice

International crimes and gross human rights violations pose a threat to international peace and security and call for effective action. An effective response, however, is often hampered by a lack of knowledge on the true nature and aetiology of international crimes. Acquiring such knowledge is essential when designing effective measures and interventions to prevent and stop these crimes. Such knowledge must be multi- and interdisciplinary, but few academics and professionals working within the field are actually trained for such an undertaking.

This Summer School on International Criminal Justice aims to create a better understanding of the complex nature of international crimes, their perpetrators and the reaction by the international community. By taking an interdisciplinary approach, students will examine the juridical and empirical sides of these mass atrocities and by combining theory, interactive discussions and visits to the International Criminal Tribunals in The Hague, students will quickly develop a basic understanding of the most important issues concerning international criminal justice. Together with a group of expert lawyers and criminologists, you will explore what 'doing justice' means in practice and identify and discuss the most pressing challenges. In doing so, you will make the most of our location just 30 minutes away from the legal capital of the world, The Hague. Accompanied by experienced professionals, you will visit the most celebrated legal institutions of the world, such as the International Criminal Court, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Summarise the central concepts of international criminal justice;
- Critically reflect on the development of international criminal justice;
- Critically reflect on empirical research methodologies;
- Analyse the shortcomings of international criminal justice;
- Formulate their opinion on different modes of transitional justice and their effects;
- Work in a small group to prepare for a presentation;
- Attractively present the findings of an explorative study.

The Summer School on International Criminal Justice is organised by the Center for International Criminal Justice. Established in 2012, the Center for International Criminal Justice (CICJ) is a university-based organisation dedicated to interdisciplinary study, debate and research relating to the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, the crime of aggression and other gross human rights violations. The Center offers an MSc in International Crimes, Conflict and Criminology and organises research seminars and guest lectures on a regular basis. Since 2014, CICJ organizes a summer school. On occasion, the Center also provides research internships for students and creates opportunities for visiting scholars and researchers to conduct research at the Center and participate in its activities.

Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course. CEA CAPA's recommended credits are based on the contact hours assigned by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam): 15 contact hours equals 1 U.S. credit