Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T05:19:14.943Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The production of the war criminal cult: Radovan Karadžić and Vojislav Šešelj at The Hague

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2018

Izabela Steflja
Izabela Steflja*
Affiliation:
International Development Studies & Payson Graduate Program in Global Development, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA. Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This article examines how defendants on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) appropriate the tribunal as a platform for national myth and group making. Specifically, the article analyzes Radovan Karadžić and Vojislav Šešelj's “performances” at The Hague in order to highlight the particular ways in which the defendants craft and mobilize the nationalist narrative. The article introduces the phenomenon of “the war criminal cult” and traces three stages of its production, including the defendants' collectivization of guilt, epitomization of The Hague as the ultimate enemy of the nation, and construction of “Serbs” as the biggest victims of international justice and of themselves as martyrs befallen with the task of defending the dignity of the nation. The “war criminal cult” is thus “made” in conversation with the “imperial West” in a collective narrative that contests the legitimacy and the intention of The Hague while disguising individual responsibility.

Keywords

war criminalsnationalismBosniaSerbiaICTY
Type
Articles
Information
Nationalities Papers , Volume 46 , Issue 1 , January 2018 , pp. 52 - 68
Copyright
Copyright © 2017 Association for the Study of Nationalities 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bass, Gary J. 2000. Stay the Hand of Vengeance: The Politics of War Crimes Tribunals. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Bass, Gary J. 2003. “Milošević in The Hague.” Foreign Affairs 82 (3): 82–96.Google Scholar
Biddle, Jo. 2016. “Outrage at the UN Court's ‘Rewriting’ of Balkans Wars.” AFP, April 1.Google Scholar
Block, Robert. 1995. “The Madness of General Mladić.” New York Review of Books, October 5.Google Scholar
Bloxham, Donald. 2008. “Milestones and Mythologies: The Impact of Nuremberg.” In Atrocities on Trial: Historical Perspectives on the Politics of Prosecuting War Crimes, edited by Heberer, Patricia and Matthaus, Jurgen, 263–282. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.Google Scholar
Borger, Julian. 2016. “The Radovan Karadźić War Crimes Trial Is Europe's Biggest Since Nuremberg.” The Guardian, March 23.Google Scholar
Bowcott, Owen. 2016. “Serb Nationalist Vojislav Šešelj Acquitted of War Crimes at The Hague.” The Guardian, March 31.Google Scholar
Božović, Ratko. 2009. “Ground Zero of Politics – Blockade, Stagnation and Regression.” In Between Authoritarianism and Democracy Vol. III: Serbia at the Political Crossroads, edited by Vujadinović, Dragica and Goati, Vladimir, 157–178. Belgrade: Friedrich Ebert Stifung and CEDET.Google Scholar
“Branim narod, a ne sebe”. 2010. Večernje Novosti (Srbija), March 1.Google Scholar
Brubaker, Roger. 2002. “Ethnicity Without Groups.” Archives Européennes de Sociologie 43 (2): 163–189.Google Scholar
Clark, Janine Natalya. 2008. “Collective Guilt, Collective Responsibility and the Serbs.” East European Politics and Societies 22 (3): 668–692.Google Scholar
Del Ponte, Carla. 2004. “Prosecutor v. Slobodan Milošević.” University of Toronto Library Transcript. May 3. Doder, Duško. 2002. “‘Book Review’ of Slobodan Milosevic and the Destruction of Yugoslavia by Louis Sell.” The Nation, May 27.Google Scholar
Donia, Robert. 2014. Radovan Karadžić: Architect of the Bosnian Genocide. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
“Dr. Šešelj's Historical Statement at the ICTY, Hague, Netherlands”. 2013. Anti-Censura. Video. July 14.Google Scholar
“Footage of Karadžić in Disguise”. 2008. BBC News. EuroNews. Video. July 22.Google Scholar
Graubart, Jonathan, and Varadarajan, Latha. 2013. “Taking Milošević Seriously: Imperialism, Law, and the Politics of Global Justice.” International Relations 27 (4): 439–460.Google Scholar
Gustafson, Carri. 1998. “International Criminal Courts: Some Dissident Views on the Continuation of War by Penal Means.” Houston Journal of International Law 21: 52–82.Google Scholar
“Hague Drops Summons for Serb Suspect, Averting Stand-Off”. 2016. Reuters, March 16.Google Scholar
“Holanđani da brane Karadžića.”. 2008. Večernje Novosti (Republika Srbija), August 21.Google Scholar
“International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia: International Arrest Warrants and Orders for Surrender for Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladič”. 1997. I. L. M. 36: 92–5.Google Scholar
Jalušić, Vlasta. 2007. “Post-Totalitarian Elements and Eichmann's Mentality in the Yugoslav War and Mass Killings.” In Hannah Arendt and the Uses of History: Imperialism, Nation, Race, and Genocide, edited by King, Richard H. and Stone, Dan, 147–170. New York: Berghahn Books.Google Scholar
Karadžić IT-95-5/18. 1995. “ICTY Press Release. Milan Martic, Rardovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic Indicted Along 21 Other Accused.” Accessed July 25. http://www.icty.org/case/karadzic/4.Google Scholar
Karadžić IT-95-5/18. 2008. “Initial Appearance.” ICTY Transcript. Accessed July 31. http://www.icty.org/case/karadzic/4.Google Scholar
Karadžić IT-95-5/18. 2009. “Status Conference.” ICTY Transcript. Accessed January 19. http://www.icty.org/case/karadzic/4.Google Scholar
Karadžić IT-95-5/18. 2010. “Defence Opening Statement.” ICTY Transcript. Accessed March 1. http://www.icty.org/case/karadzic/4.Google Scholar
Karadžić IT-95-5/18. 2012. “Defence Rule 84 bis Statement.” ICTY Transcript. Accessed October 16. http://www.icty.org/case/karadzic/4.Google Scholar
Karadžić IT-95-5/18. 2016. “Judgment Summary.” ICTY Transcript. Accessed March 24. http://www.icty.org/case/karadzic/4.Google Scholar
“Karadžić – Dragan Dabić i njegov dvostručan život”. 2008. Glas Amerike. Video. July 24.Google Scholar
“Karadžić: Mene je abortirao Alija Izetbegović”. 2010. Press (Srbija), March 2.Google Scholar
Lelyveld, Joseph. 2002. “The Defendant: Slobodan Milošević's Trail, and the Debate Surrounding International Courts.” The New Yorker, May 27.Google Scholar
Lillie, Christine, Knapp, Brock, Harris, Lasana, and Wilson, Richard. 2015. “This Is The Hour of Revenge: The Psychology of Propaganda and Mass Atrocities.” Social Science Research Network. Accessed March 18. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2580521 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2580521.Google Scholar
Lippman, Peter. 2008. “Radovan Karadžić Captured After Serbs Vote Out Hard-Line Nationalist Government.” The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs 27 (7): 38–39.Google Scholar
Lu, Catherine. 2006. “The International Criminal Court as an Institution of Moral Regeneration: Problems and Prospects.” In Bringing Power to Justice? The Prospects of the International Criminal Court, edited by Joanna Harrington, Michael Milde, and Vernon, Richard, 191–209. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.Google Scholar
May, Larry. 2005. Crimes Against Humanity: A Normative Account. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Milanović, Marko. 2009. “The Arrest and Impending Trial of Radovan Karadžić.” International and Comparative Law Quarterly 58 (Jan): 212–219.Google Scholar
Mladić IT-09-92. 2011. “Fourth Amended Indictment.” ICTY Transcript. Accessed December 16. http://www.icty.org/case/mladic/4.Google Scholar
Morf, C. C., and Rhodewalt, F. 2001. “Unraveling the Paradoxes of Narcissism: A Dynamic Self-regulatory Processing Model.” Psychological Inquiry 12 (4): 177–196.Google Scholar
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. 2016. “Serbia: The 2016 Parliamentary Elections and Beyond”. Accessed September 21. https://www.ndi.org/sites/default/files/SB2016report.pdf; https://www.ndi.org/Serbia-2016-Elections-Report.Google Scholar
Onasa News Agency. 2004. “Two Thirds of Bosnian Serbs See Karadzic' as Hero – Opinion Poll.” Access World News.Google Scholar
Pešić, Vesna. 2009. “Nationalism of an Impossible State: A Framework for Understanding the Unsuccessful Transition to Legitimacy in Serbia.” In Between Authoritarianism and Democracy Vol. III: Serbia at the Political Crossroads, edited by Vujadinović, Dragica and Goati, Vladimir, 71–87. Belgrade: Friedrich Ebert Stifung and CEDET.Google Scholar
Peskin, Victor. 2008. International Justice in Rwanda and the Balkans: Virtual Trials and the Struggle for State Cooperation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Peterson, Benjamin. 2009. “Goals and Groups: Testing a Functional (Defensive) Self-regulatory Model of Group Identity.” ProQuest Dissertation and Theses.Google Scholar
Petrović, Vladimir. 2015. “Review of Radovan Karadžić: Architect of the Bosnian Genocide by Robert Donia.” Nationalities Papers: The Journal of Nationalism and Ethnicity 43 (2): 365–367.Google Scholar
“Radikali održali Meeting u Beogradu: Šešelj tvrdi da je Hag lažni sud, Karadžić osuden Same zato što je Srbin?”. 2016. Telegraf March 24.Google Scholar
Ramet, Sabrina. 2004. ““Explaining the Yugoslav Meltdown, 2: A Theory About the Causes of the Yugoslav Meltdown: The Serbian National Awakening as a ‘Revitalization Movement'.” Nationalities Papers: The Journal of Nationalism and Ethnicity 32 (4): 765–779.Google Scholar
Rovčanin, S. S. 2016. “Šešelj: Idem u izbornu pobedu, a ne u Hag.” Večernje Novosti, February 17.Google Scholar
Rubin, Alfred P. 2006. “Milošević on Trial.” International Journal for the Semiotics of Law 19 (4): 347–354.Google Scholar
Scharf, Michael P. 2002–2003. “The Legacy of the Milošević Trial.” New England Law Review 37 (4): 915–933.Google Scholar
Scharf, Michael P., and Schabas, William A. 2002. Slobodan Milosevic on Trial: A Companion. Scholarly Commons. Case Western Reserve University Faculty of Law. Faculty Publications. 1299.Google Scholar
Šešelj IT-03-67. 2003a. “First Initial Appearance.” ICTY video. Accessed February 26. http://www.icty.org/case/seselj/4.Google Scholar
Šešelj IT-03-67. 2003b. “Initial Indictment.” ICTY Transcript. Accessed January 15. http://www.icty.org/case/seselj/4.Google Scholar
Šešelj IT-03-67. 2012a. “Defense Closing Statement.” ICTY Transcript. Accessed March 14. http://www.icty.org/case/seselj/4.Google Scholar
Šešelj IT-03-67. 2012b. “Prosecution Closing Arguments.” ICTY video. Accessed March 14–20. http://www.icty.org/case/seselj/4.Google Scholar
Šešelj IT-03-67. 2014. “Order on the Provisional Release of the Accussed Proprio Motu.” ICTY Transcript. Accessed November 6. http://www.icty.org/case/seselj/4.Google Scholar
Šešelj IT-03-67. 2016a. “Judgment Summary.” ICTY Transcript. Accessed March 31. http://www.icty.org/case/seselj/4.Google Scholar
Šešelj IT-03-67. 2016b. “Partially Dissenting Opinion of Judge Flavia Lattanzi.” ICTY Transcript. Accessed March 31. http://www.icty.org/case/seselj/4/.Google Scholar
Simpson, Daniel. 2003. “Defendant in Hague to Aim Defense at Serbs of the Future.” The New York Times. February 20.Google Scholar
Snyder, Jack. 2000. From Voting to Violence: Democratization and Nationalist Conflict. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.Google Scholar
Stahn, Carsten. 2009. “The Future of International Criminal Justice.” The Hague Justice Portal, October 9.Google Scholar
Steflja, Izabela. 2010. “Identity Crisis in Post-Conflict Societies: The ICTY's Role in Defensive Nationalism among the Serbs.” Global Change, Peace & Security 22 (2): 231–248.Google Scholar
Steflja, Izabela. 2015. “[In]Humanity on Trial: On the Ground Perceptions of International Criminal Tribunals.” ProQuest Dissertation and Theses.Google Scholar
“Student Dorm Named after War Crimes Suspect Radovan Karadžić”. 2016. The Guardian, March 20.Google Scholar
“Sudenje bivšem lideru RS”. 2010. Blic (Srbija), March 1.Google Scholar
Tromp, Nevenka. 2016. Prosecuting Slobodan Milošević: The Unfinished Trial. New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
“Vojislav Šešelj's Acquittal is a Victory for Advocates of Ethnic Cleansing”. 2016. The Economist, March 31.Google Scholar
Weaver, G. R. 2006. “Virtue in Organizations: Moral Identity as a Foundation for Moral Agency.” Organization Studies 27 (3): 341–368.Google Scholar
Wilson, Richard Ashby. 2017. “Propaganda on Trial: Structural Fragility and the Epistemology of International Legal Institutions.” In Palaces of Hope: The Anthropology of Global Organizations, edited by Niezen, Ronald and Sapignoli, Maria, 266–293. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar