Margaret M. deGuzman just published “Shocking the Conscience of Humanity – Gravity and the Legitimacy of International Criminal Law” (OUP 2020). Abstract: The most commonly cited justification for international criminal law is that it addresses crimes of such gravity that they “shock the conscience of humanity.” From decisions about how to define crimes and when to exercise jurisdiction, to limitations on defences and sentencing determinations, gravity rhetoric permeates the discourse of international criminal law. Yet the concept of gravity has thus far remained highly undertheorized. This book uncovers the consequences for the regime’s legitimacy of its heavy reliance on the…
