Arts & Culture
Post-colonial Perspectives on International Law and Universal Jurisdiction
Quick fact
While universal jurisdiction allows any state to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, post-colonial scholars point out that in practice it is almost always Western courts that try African or Middle Eastern officials—never the reverse—revealing a persistent colonial hierarchy.
Why this is interesting
Did you know that a country can put a foreign official on trial for crimes committed far away? But why do some nations get judged, while others seem immune?