The Criminal State
War, Atrocity, and the Dream of International Justice
Book • 2026
The Criminal State offers a gripping account of how law has confronted radical forms of state violence, weaving history with political thought from Leopold’s rule over the Congo, through Nazi aggression, to Putin’s war in Ukraine.
At its core is a fresh interpretation of the Nuremberg trials, which challenged traditional protections for sovereigns but failed to establish a lasting framework for criminalizing state aggression.
The book provides historical perspective on the dilemmas of international courts in addressing atrocities and the use of force.
At its core is a fresh interpretation of the Nuremberg trials, which challenged traditional protections for sovereigns but failed to establish a lasting framework for criminalizing state aggression.
The book provides historical perspective on the dilemmas of international courts in addressing atrocities and the use of force.
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Tyler McBrien
Lawfare Daily: ‘The Criminal State’ with Lawrence Douglas
