Culture under cross-examination : international justice and the s pecial court for Sierra Leone /
Tim Kelsall.
- Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2009.
- xiv, 298 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
- Cambridge studies in law and society .
Includes bibliographical references (p. 268-284) and index.
White man's justice? : Sierra Leone and the expanding project of int ernational law -- The story of the CDF trial -- An unconventional army : chains of command in a patrimonial society -- Facts, metaphysics and mysticism : magical powers and the law -- We cannot accept any cultural consideration : the child soldiers charge -- "He's not very forthright " : finding the facts in a culture of secrecy -- Cultural issues in the RUF, AFRC and Charles Taylor trials -- Conclusion : from legal imperia lism to dialogics.
"The international community created the Special Court for Sierra Le one to prosecute those who bore the greatest responsibility for crimes committed during the country's devastating civil war. Tim Kelsall exami nes some of the challenges posed by the fact that the Court operated in a largely unfamiliar culture, in which the way local people thought ab out rights, agency and truth-telling sometimes differed radically from the way international lawyers think about these things. By applying an anthro-political perspective to the trials, he unveils a variety of eth ical, epistemological, jurisprudential and procedural problems, arguing that although touted as a promising hybrid, the Court failed in crucia l ways to adapt to the local culture concerned. Culture matters, and in ternational justice requires a more dialogical, multicultural approach" --Provided by publisher.
9780521767781 (hbk.) 0521767784 (hbk.)
2009-025731
Special Court for Sierra Leone.
International criminal courts--Sierra Leone. War crime trials-- Social aspects--Sierra Leone.