Brain Fuel

In the wake of mass atrocities in places such as Darfur, Congo, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Cambodia, states and the international community are grappling with difficult questions of whether and how to bring to justice the perpetrators of genocide and crimes against humanity. This course examines those challenges and raises both key moral and practical challenges of modern international politics. For example, should justice in places like Central Africa be modeled and conducted by largely Western organizations such as the International Criminal Court, or should it be rooted in local conceptions of justice and forgiveness? Should justice and accountability be priorities or should amnesties be offered to promote peace and reconciliation? Is the International Criminal Court an adequate mechanism or is the U.S. opposition to the new court well-founded? These questions and others will be explored with reference to specific conflicts including Darfur, Uganda, and Rwanda.