Achieving Justice and Seeking Truth: The Evolution of International Criminal Tribunals

Abstract

This thesis examines the way in which international criminal tribunals have changed and evolved over time, using the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia as specific examples. By examining two central societal responses to collective violence – justice and truth – this thesis engages with ideas regarding post-conflict resolution in the hope of creating a positive peace. The following chapters will analyse the IMT and ICTY to determine the manner in which developing ideas regarding state sovereignty and international intervention have impacted the way in which societies deal with mass atrocity. Furthermore, this thesis seeks to expound the correlation between law and history in the joint pursuit of retribution and historicization.