Constructing Victims in the International Criminal Court: A Critical Discourse Analysis

• In Event: International Courts, Prisons, and Restorative Justice

Abstract

The International Criminal Court (ICC), governed by the Rome Statute, was established in 1998 to address serious crimes of concern to the international community, including genocide and crimes against humanity, among others. This paper examines the construction of victims in ICC proceedings. Through a critical discourse analysis of ICC web pages and other documents intended for victims, especially the booklet "Victims Before the International Criminal Court: A Guide for the Participation of Victims in the Proceedings of the Court," I argue that the ICC’s construction of victims reproduces criminal justice logics, which marginalize victims and denies them agency. Said marginalization occurs in an effort to balance retributive and restorative justice. Discourses concerning the role and agency of victims in the Court reproduce institutional neglect and disempowerment.

Author

• Valerie King, University of Tennessee