In the past twenty years the field of international criminal law has become one of the main subfields of international legal scholarship and practice with many texts in the field focusing on core crimes and judicial procedure. Eschewing this traditional approach however, the
Oxford Handbook of International Criminal Law instead looks at who the actors are, how international criminal law goes about achieving its ends, where (geographically) it applies, when it applies, and why the system came into being and continues to grow.
By taking a step back and critically examining prevailing practices, orthodoxies, and received wisdoms, the authors deploy alternative modes of analysis and bring conceptual, theoretical, and interdisciplinary tools to bear on old and new problems alike. Contributions from key figures in disciplines outside of international criminal law such as anthropology, geography, history, philosophy, international relations, and rhetoric come together with legal experts to illuminate the rich tapestry that is international criminal law.