A platform for Supranational
Criminology: The criminology of international crimes
Our aim is to
create a communicative platform for what we call supranational criminology. This
entails a criminological approach to international crimes such as war crimes,
crimes against humanity, torture, genocide and other gross human rights
violations that to do not readily fall within the contemporary definitional
scope of international crimes. The general point to be made here is that
supranational criminology should include all forms of crime that cause mass
human suffering. (The research section of
this site contains a more elaborate discussion on what supranational
criminology entails)
The platform
aims to encourage and stimulate an international and interdisciplinary
scientific discussion and debate on international crimes and other gross human
rights violations. Many researchers from a broad range of disciplines such as
criminologists, historians, philosophers, political scientists, sociologists,
psychologists, psychiatrists, lawyers and others take an interest in
international crimes and other gross human rights violations. What is lacking,
however, is an integrated interdisciplinary approach to international crimes.
We want to change this by bringing together scholars involved in this kind of
research and by stimulating fruitful academic discussions amongst them. The aim
of the website is to share information on literature, internet links, ongoing
research and experts within the broad field of supranational criminology. It is
our aim to thus stimulate the discussion on a variety of relevant topics.
Moreover, we plan to organize expert-meetings, symposia and conferences in the
near future.
The website
The website
aims to share information and function as a basis for our communicative
platform. We hope to stimulate a fruitful discussion on what the scope of the
research area of supranational criminology or the criminology of international
crimes is. We have developed a first tentative and provisional research program.
This research program is not final or conclusive, but is open for discussion
and debate. And we invite everyone to take part in the discussion on what needs
to be included or excluded and on what should be the boundaries of this
research area. If you have any ideas feel free to contact us!
Our ultimate aim is to put international crimes firmly on the criminological
agenda and to convince those who have a stake in international criminal justice
such as international criminal lawyers, human rights defenders and the
international community of the importance of our findings. We believe that a
better understanding of gross human rights violations and international crimes
as well as the causes and consequences thereof will help us develop strategies
to prevent and halt ongoing violations and to deal with them fairly and
effectively afterwards.
The website
furthermore contains useful information on interesting conferences and meetings
and courses, summer-schools and other programs on issues related to
international crimes. Most importantly, however, the website contains three
databases. First of all the bibliography in which
important and relevant literature such as documents, articles and books are
categorized under the following research topics: bystanders, case studies,
causes, criminology of international crimes, facts and figures, handbooks,
international criminal justice, international criminal justice case studies,
perpetrators and victims. A second database has internet
links
to interesting websites, research centers and projects and journals. A third
database aims to categorize scholars who are actually involved or interested in
research in relation to international crimes. This database includes
information on how to contact these scholars and their main areas of research
and expertise. This easy-to-use database assists fellow scholars and students
alike in contacting scholars and experts from all over the world and making the
debate truly international and interdisciplinary.
A hopefully
not too ambitious plan is to issue a short newsletter two to four times a year and send it
to all affiliated members in order to focus their attention on interesting
topics, issues, conferences and/or books and to inform them about changes in
the website and databases. It can also be used for calls for papers and
research assistance or cooperation.
The website
and platform aim to be communicative in nature. This means that the success of
the website will depend on the cooperation, information and suggestions of the
affiliated scholars. So please if you have ideas on how to structure the
website, on the research program or any useful information or suggestion in
relation to literature, internet sites, courses, conferences, organizations,
scholars or anything else, contact us and we will put the information
on the website and/or forward it to all our members.
If you would
like to become
a member, send an e-mail to us with your name, position, main research
interests and expertise and contact details and you will be listed in our
database. If you want to be listed without your e-mail address please indicate
this explicitly and we will ensure that your e-mail address will not be made
public on our website.