Byse Workshop Session 2: The Local Community in International Criminal Law

In this session, we explore initiatives developed within international criminal law to promote “local ownership” among affected communities, including the ICC Trust Fund for Victims, field offices, and community surveys. We will consider whether such practices meaningfully respond to critiques of the Court’s interventionist posture, and what may be obscured when conflict, violence, and justice are approached through a local lens.

We will focus on the landmark case concerning the attack on the Timbuktu shrines and the post-conflict reconstruction efforts involving the ICC, UNESCO, and the World Bank. Through this case, we will examine how international institutions define and engage local communities, and the tensions that arise in the process.

Suggested readings are available on Canvas.