| Publication |
2013.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Notwithstanding his premature death, the trial of Slobodan Milosevic is widely hailed as a landmark moment in the development of international criminal law. To many, the trial, in conjunction with the broader record of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), represents the beginning of a new era of global justice characterized by the impending triumph of law over politics. This article dissents from the prevailing consensus by emphasizing the enduring role of imperialist relations in shaping international relations. Without defending Milosevic, we provide a critical reassessment of the ICTY's most celebrated trial. We do so to reveal the manner in which seemingly progressive legal institutions - far from furthering an abstract notion of justice - serve to re-inscribe a violent and highly unequal post-Cold War imperialist world order. Because the ICTY is far from a sui generis experience, we argue that it is critical to take Milosevic seriously in making sense of the nature and implications of global tribunals.
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