Crimes Against Humanity: Political Perspectives

Catalog description

This course examines debates concerning justice, law, and politics surrounding the idea of “Crimes against Humanity.” Crimes against Humanity emerged as a concept in international law in the aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust. We often hear condemnations against "Crimes against Humanity” without having a clear idea of what that means. The course first examines the violence and genocide that ultimately led to the post-WWII Nuremberg trials and formal prosecutions for “Crimes against Humanity.” The course then turns to how the definition expanded to include the crime of Apartheid, “disappearances” in Latin America, gender-based crimes in the former Yugoslavia, hate speech in Rwanda, and contemporary cases in the Middle East, among others. We examine and debate what it means for a crime to be “against humanity” and whether the concept is, or can be made to be, coherent. We debate the pros and cons of expanding the definition and whether the term properly applies in controversial cases. The course will consider issues like: What type of evil is involved in genocide? Which types of courts should try crimes against humanity and under what conditions? Does talk of "the rule of law" mask the role of power politics? Is reconciliation preferable to punishment? When is military intervention justified? How should nations remember and repair past crimes against humanity?