Why Punish Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities?

This edited volume provides for the first time a comprehensive account of theoretical approaches to international punishment. Its main objective is to contribute to the development of a consistent and robust theory of international criminal punishment. For this purpose the authors - renowned scholars in the fields of criminal law international criminal law and philosophy of law as well as practitioners working at different international criminal courts and tribunals - address the question of meaning and purpose of punishment in international law from various perspectives. The volume fleshes out the predominant dimensions of a theory of international punishment and highlights the differences between ''ordinary'' (domestic) crime and international crimes and their respective enforcement. At the same time throughout the volume a major focus is on the practical consequences of the different theoretical approaches in particular for the activities of the International Criminal Court.