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Africa's role in the progression of international criminal justice: a moral and political argument

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 November 2018

Kirsten J. Fisher
Kirsten J. Fisher*
Affiliation:
Department of Political Studies, College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan, 9 Campus Drive, Arts 283B, Saskatoon SK S7N 5A5, Canada
*
Email: Kirsten.fisher@usask.ca
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Abstract

Given the history of the International Criminal Court in Africa, the relationship between African states and the Court is particularly significant to its legitimacy. If the power of the Court is grounded in international political support and the perception that it transcends international and national politics to deny impunity for ‘atrocity’ crimes, the Court's perceived legitimacy and normative legitimacy are so intertwined that charges of illegitimacy from significant regional stakeholders hold particular weight. More importantly, criticisms voiced by African actors point to a valid challenge to the Court's legitimate moral standing as an arbiter of global justice: the international power imbalance that seems to be becoming more entrenched and apparent in the Court's work. Tactics adopted by some African leaders of prioritising the issue of heads-of-state immunity, however, minimise the broader issue of power differentials and reduce the chance that African states will find allies in their cause to challenge the Court's operations.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Modern African Studies , Volume 56 , Issue 4 , December 2018 , pp. 541 - 568
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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