Benjamin Ferencz Lecture – Sights, sounds, and sensibilities of atrocity prosecutions: the sensory experience of justice

Justice for massive human rights abuses is deeply intertwined with our sensory experiences—what we see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. These senses shape how atrocities are perceived, remembered, condemned, and ultimately judged by legal systems across the world. From the sights of courtroom proceedings to the sounds of witness testimony, the sensory dimensions of justice play a crucial role in the prosecution and condemnation of atrocities. However, the role of these sensory experiences is often overlooked in discussions about legal accountability and the pursuit of justice.

This lecture and panel discussion will focus on the ways in which justice, human rights abuses, and sensory experience intersect, as explored in Sights, Sounds, and Sensibilities of Atrocity Prosecutions, edited by Mark Drumbl and Caroline Fournet (Brill | Nijhoff). The conversation will explore how different societies and legal systems have conceptualised and experienced justice for atrocity crimes throughout history, from the post-World War II tribunals to contemporary international courts, and will delve into how what we perceive through our senses affects the legal processes that address large-scale human rights violations and atrocities. 

Speakers:

• Prof. Mark A. Drumbl, Washington and Lee University
• Prof. Caroline Fournet, University of Exeter

Discussants:

• Prof. Barbora Hola, VU Amsterdam
• Simon Meisenberg, Kosovo Specialist Chambers 

Moderator

Dr Gabrielė Chlevickaitė, Researcher, T.M.C. Asser Instituut

This lecture is co-organised with the IHCL platform.