https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol12/iss3/9
Henry Rousso warned that the engagement of historians as expert witnesses in trials, particularly highly politicized proceedings of mass crimes, risks a judicialization of history. This article tests Rousso’s argument through analysis of three quite different case studies: the Frankfurt Auschwitz tr...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
International Association of Genocide Scholars
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol12/iss3/9 |
| _version_ | 1818138913310507008 |
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| author | Rebecca Gidley Mathew Turner |
| author_facet | Rebecca Gidley Mathew Turner |
| author_sort | Rebecca Gidley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Henry Rousso warned that the engagement of historians as expert witnesses in trials, particularly highly politicized proceedings of mass crimes, risks a judicialization of history. This article tests Rousso’s argument through analysis of three quite different case studies: the Frankfurt Auschwitz trial; the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia; and the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh. It argues that Rousso’s objections misrepresent the Frankfurt Auschwitz trial, while failing to account for the engagement of historical expertise in mass atrocity trials beyond Europe. Paradoxically, Rousso’s criticisms are less suited to the European context that represents his purview, and apply more readily to the highly-politicized crimes tribunals outside the continent. Finally, it contends that the importance of the proceedings themselves should be measured in full against the hypothetically corrupting effects of historians’ engagement as experts in court |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T10:19:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c84e421885fd45b1af839b792480b13e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1911-0359 1911-9933 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T10:19:45Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | International Association of Genocide Scholars |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-c84e421885fd45b1af839b792480b13e2022-12-22T01:11:29ZengInternational Association of Genocide ScholarsGenocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal1911-03591911-99332018-12-01123526710.5038/1911-9933.12.3.1566https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol12/iss3/9Rebecca Gidley0Mathew Turner1Australian National UniversityDeakin UniversityHenry Rousso warned that the engagement of historians as expert witnesses in trials, particularly highly politicized proceedings of mass crimes, risks a judicialization of history. This article tests Rousso’s argument through analysis of three quite different case studies: the Frankfurt Auschwitz trial; the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia; and the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh. It argues that Rousso’s objections misrepresent the Frankfurt Auschwitz trial, while failing to account for the engagement of historical expertise in mass atrocity trials beyond Europe. Paradoxically, Rousso’s criticisms are less suited to the European context that represents his purview, and apply more readily to the highly-politicized crimes tribunals outside the continent. Finally, it contends that the importance of the proceedings themselves should be measured in full against the hypothetically corrupting effects of historians’ engagement as experts in courthttps://scholarcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol12/iss3/9historianstrialsexpert witnessesFrankfurt Auschwitz trialGermanyExtraordinary Chambers in the Courts of CambodiaInternational Crimes TribunalBangladesh |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca Gidley Mathew Turner https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol12/iss3/9 Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal historians trials expert witnesses Frankfurt Auschwitz trial Germany Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia International Crimes Tribunal Bangladesh |
| title | https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol12/iss3/9 |
| title_full | https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol12/iss3/9 |
| title_fullStr | https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol12/iss3/9 |
| title_full_unstemmed | https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol12/iss3/9 |
| title_short | https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol12/iss3/9 |
| title_sort | https scholarcommons usf edu gsp vol12 iss3 9 |
| topic | historians trials expert witnesses Frankfurt Auschwitz trial Germany Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia International Crimes Tribunal Bangladesh |
| url | https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol12/iss3/9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rebeccagidley httpsscholarcommonsusfedugspvol12iss39 AT mathewturner httpsscholarcommonsusfedugspvol12iss39 |