Why Punish Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities? Purposes of Punishment in International Criminal Law

This edited volume provides, for the first time, a comprehensive account of theoretical approaches to international punishment. Its main objective is to contribute to the development of a consistent and robust theory of international criminal punishment. For this purpose, the authors – renowned scholars in the fields of criminal law, international criminal law, and philosophy of law, as well as practitioners working at different international criminal courts and tribunals – address the question of meaning and purpose of punishment in international law from various perspectives. The volume fleshes out the predominant dimensions of a theory of international punishment and highlights the differences between ‘ordinary’ (domestic) crime and international crimes and their respective enforcement. At the same time, throughout the volume a major focus is on the practical consequences of the different theoretical approaches, in particular for the activities of the International Criminal Court.

Florian Jeßberger is Professor of Law  at the Faculty of Law, Universität Hamburg, where he holds the Chair in Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, International Criminal Law, and Modern Legal History. He has also served as the Dean for Research & International Affairs of the Faculty of Law since 2013.

Julia Geneuss is Assistant Professor of Law at Universität Hamburg and currently a Feodor Lynen Scholar of the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She holds a Dr iur. from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and a LL.M. from New York University School of Law.

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