Margaret deGuzman, Shocking the Conscience of Humanity: Gravity and the Legitimacy of International Criminal Law

Abstract

Drawing on an impressive collection of previous shorter pieces, Professor Margaret DeGuzman’s new book, Shocking the Conscience of Humanity: Gravity and the Legitimacy of International Criminal Law,1 offers a new perspective on the entire international criminal justice project. In the author’s opinion, the concept of gravity of international crimes should be linked to the ‘values of the international community’ and, in particular, to the goal of preventing and punishing violations of human dignity. By linking the concept of gravity of international crimes to such values, deGuzman’s book develops a thought-provoking critique of international criminal justice as a whole, one that has the potential of challenging how scholars evaluate the theoretical foundations of international criminal law itself. The book under review comprises an introduction, six substantive chapters, and a conclusion. In the introduction, the author sets out the goals of the book and describes the conceptual framework applied throughout....