: Interviewing people who have been tried, convicted, or acquitted for atrocity crimes is an incredibly difficult undertaking, potentially even dangerous. Not so much because these individuals still pose a threat, but because of the risks involved in traveling through countries with non-existent traffic rules, or because of the reputational risks for the researcher involved. In an academic field brimming with high moral expectations (“end impunity, end mass crimes”), who dares to speak to these “monsters” in the first place? Damien Scalia, professor in criminal law at the Université libre de Bruxelles, did just that. The impressive War Criminals on Trial: An Inside View of the International Criminal Justice System is a testament to his ambitious endeavor of speaking to war criminals. Over a period of fifteen years, he conducted interviews with more than sixty individuals prosecuted for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Across different continents, he spoke to both
: Interviewing people who have been tried, convicted, or acquitted for atrocity crimes is an incredibly difficult undertaking, potentially even dangerous. Not so much because these individuals still pose a threat, but because of the risks involved in traveling through countries with non-existent traffic rules, or because of the reputational risks for the researcher involved. In an academic field brimming with high moral expectations (“end impunity, end mass crimes”), who dares to speak to these “monsters” in the first place? Damien Scalia, professor in criminal law at the Université libre de Bruxelles, did just that. The impressive War Criminals on Trial: An Inside View of the International Criminal Justice System is a testament to his ambitious endeavor of speaking to war criminals. Over a period of fifteen years, he conducted interviews with more than sixty individuals prosecuted for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Across different continents, he spoke to both
: This article belongs to the debate » Thinking Machines, Thinking Lawyers14 October 2026The (Currently) Uneven Intelligence of AI in Comparative Constitutional Law From Years of Research to a Single Prompt? Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to accelerate and improve the quality of research. This potential has inspired numerous projects exploring how AI could help scholarship on constitutional law. For example, there is research using AI to interpret constitutions,1) apply constitutional principles,2) and predict court rulings.3) Even the question of whether AI could improve the process of constitution-making has been studied.4) AI’s potential is particularly significant for comparative constitutional research. Systematically comparing legal systems requires locating sources from different jurisdictions, which are often difficult to access and only available in local languages. The creation of comparative legal datasets has thus involved considerable personnel, time, and financial resources. AI ca[...]
: KEY TAKEAWAYS The French high schooler-led uprising is not a sign of a generational struggle pitting the young against baby boomers. The uprisings indicate a state of discontentment reflecting three grievances: failings within the education system, eco-anxiety and concerns over employment in the age of AI. Far from demanding a break with the established order, young protesters are simply asking for the right to live a good and fair life... like their predecessors before them. Rarely has Freud’s Civilization and Its Discontents seemed so relevant to the times in which we are living. Although the discontents we are currently witnessing do not necessarily affect society as a whole, they are certainly impacting an entire generation born in the 21st century, as well as their parents and their social environment. Admittedly, we know that generations are not homogeneous and that any attempt to generalise is an oversimplification. Nevertheless, the high schoolers that are taking to the streets to protest in this day[...]
: UT ref: UA-2026-000083-PIP In the Upper Tribunal Administrative Appeals Chamber 28 October 2026 Before: Stewart Wright Judge of the Upper Tribunal Between: LC -v- Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Anonymity Order Appellant: LC Respondents: Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Tribunal: First tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber) Tribunal venue: Scarborough Tribunal Case Nos: SC231/24/00181 Tribunal decision date: 29 August 2025 NOTICE: Any breach of this order is liable to be treated as a contempt of court and may be punishable by imprisonment, fine or other sanctions under section 25 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. The maximum punishment that may be imposed is a sentence of two years’ imprisonment or an unlimited fine. It is ordered , under rule 14(1)(b) of the Tribunal Procedure (Upper Tribunal Rules) 2008, that, without the permission of this Tribunal, no one shall disclose or publish the name, or any part of the address, of the appellant in these proceedings or publish [...]