The talk about international criminal law was extremely informative. As someone who follows the news closely, the talk helped me realize how little the news media covers the topic. Despite its relevance in many news stories the topic of international criminal law seems under emphasized. By contrast, I feel that when a story involves matters of domestic criminal law the news media often discusses the legal aspects of a story from all angles. I wonder if my perception of the news coverage is correct and if so what can account for the differences.

I thought that Professor Jens David Ohlin’s style of using current events to teach about international criminal law concepts was effective. Since I had some previous knowledge of the events he was talking about I was better able to focus on the legal concepts being discussed. The professor also used questions to help him tailor his talk to the audience. It seemed that the questions he asked helped him judge the audiences’ familiarity with the topic.

I was also fascinated by the many intricacies of the law and how it seemingly leaves room for a variety of interpretations. I was amazed by the story that Professor Jens David Ohlin told regarding the South African government not arresting a foreign government official charged by the International Criminal Court; even though South Africa had signed a treaty promising to arrest individuals charged by the court. This case also involved domestic courts ordering officials to abide by the treaty. I’m sure there are numerous other examples illustrating the complex interplay of domestic and international law.

A topic that was not discussed, but would have been interesting to learn more about, is how technological changes impact international criminal law. I have heard a lot about the interplay between technology and domestic laws written before the internet. I would be interested in how this interplay is impacting international law.

After hearing the talk, I will try to seek out information about how other news stories fit into the system of international justice. I would also be interested in taking classes on this topic in the future.