Rethinking Africa through its Exclusions: The Politics of Naming Criminal Responsibility

The African focus on the International Criminal Court (ICC) rule of law movement is far from incidental. It has everything to do with the identification of particular crimes as of gravest concern to humanity, crimes which, when viewed in political terms, foster cooperation by the majority of state parties. This article explores the workings of a global elite of liberalist lawyers and policy makers engaged in establishing what particular types of violence are considered part of an international moral and political agenda. I argue the ICC's emphasis on "command responsibility," conceptions of "justice," and human rights overlooks colonial history and its continuing postcolonial effects and the geo-political implications of resource competition.