The roles and functions of atrocity-related United Nations commissions of inquiry in the international legal order : : navigating between principle and pragmatism / / by Catherine E.M. Harwood.

• Superior document: Leiden studies on the frontiers of international law ; Volume 6.
• VerfasserIn: Harwood, Catherine, 1985-
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, The Netherlands ;, Boston : : Brill Nijhoff,, [2020]; ©2020
• Year of Publication: 2020
• Language: English
• Series: Leiden studies on the frontiers of international law ; v. 6.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource.
• Notes: Based on author's thesis (doctoral - Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden, 2018) issued under title: Navigating between principle and pragmatism : the roles and functions of atrocity-related United Nations commissions of inquiry in the international legal order.

In The Roles and Functions of Atrocity-Related United Nations Commissions of Inquiry in the International Legal Order, Catherine Harwood explores the turn to international law in atrocity-related United Nations commissions of inquiry and their navigation of considerations of principle (the legal) and pragmatism (the political), to discern their identity in the international legal order. The book traces the inquiry process from establishment and interpretation of the mandate to legal analysis, production of findings and recommendations. The research finds that the turn to international law fundamentally shapes the roles and functions of UN atrocity inquiries. Inquiries continuously navigate between realms of law and politics, with the equilibrium shifting in different moments and contexts.

Table of Contents

Foreword -- Andrew Clapham Acknowledgements -- List of Abbreviations -- Introduction -- 1 The Phenonemon of Atrocity-Related Inquiry -- 2 Delineation of UN Atrocity-Related Inquiry -- 2.1 / International Commissions of Inquiry -- 2.2 / Established by the United Nations -- 2.3 / Focus on Situations of Atrocities -- 3 Structure of the Book -- 4 Some Words on Methodology -- 1 Charting the Rise of UN Atrocity-Related Inquiry -- Introduction -- 1 Interstate Atrocity-Related Inquiries -- 1.1 / 1919 Commission -- 1.2 / Inter-Allied Commissions of Inquiry -- 1.3 / United Nations War Crimes Commission -- 2 ‘Geneva’ International Humanitarian Law Inquiry -- 3 Atrocity-Related Inquiries by International Organisations Other than the UN -- 3.1 / League of Nations -- 3.2 / Regional Organisations -- 4 UN Atrocity-Related Inquiries -- 4.1 / Sparse Atrocity-Related Inquiry Practice: 1945–1991 -- 4.2 / Proliferation of UN Atrocity-Related Inquiries: 1992 and Beyond -- Conclusions -- 2 Establishing the Mandate: Mandating Authorities as Architects of Atrocity-Related Inquiries -- Introduction -- 1 Dynamics of Establishment -- 1.1 / Institutional Framework Relevant to UN Atrocity-Related Inquiries -- 1.2 / State Consent and Cooperation -- 1.3 / Selection of Situations -- 1.4 / New York/Geneva Dynamics -- 2 Legal Dimensions of Written Mandates -- 2.1 / Investigative Focus and Recommendations -- 2.2 / Legal Lenses of Analysis -- 2.3 / Challenges to Legal Lenses of hrc-Led Inquiries -- 3 Impartiality of Written Mandates -- 3.1 / Geographic Parameters -- 3.2 / Temporal Scope -- 3.3 / Actors under Scrutiny -- 3.4 / Prejudgment of Findings -- 4 Appointment and Composition of Commissions -- 4.1 / Appointment Processes -- 4.2 / Commissioner Independence and Impartiality -- 4.3 / Commissioner Expertise -- 5 Decisions on Operational Aspects -- 5.1 / Scope of Discretion Accorded to Commissions -- 5.2 / Provision of Resources and Time Limits -- 6 Principle and Pragmatism in Mandating Authorities’ Choices -- 6.1 / Turn to International Law -- 6.2 / Inquiry to Condemn Atrocities -- 6.3 / Inquiry as Building and Releasing Pressure -- Conclusions -- 3 Mandate Interpretation and Implementation: Commissions as Engineers of Their Roles and Functions -- Introduction -- 1 Interpretation of the Mandate -- 1.1 / Geographic Parameters -- 1.2 / Temporal Scope -- 1.3 / Actors under Scrutiny -- 1.4 / Prejudgment of Findings -- 2 Principles Guiding Mandate Implementation -- 2.1 / Impartiality -- 2.2 / Centrality of Victims -- 2.3 / Accountability -- 3 Practical Challenges Informing Mandate Implementation -- 3.1 / Resource and Time Limitations -- 3.2 / Security Concerns -- 3.3 / Lack of Territorial Access -- 3.4 / States’ Refusals to Provide Information -- 4 Fostering Quality in Methods of Work -- 4.1 / Judicial .