Women as War Criminals: Gender, Agency, and Justice

Women war criminals are far more common than we think, and their existence challenges our assumptions about war and women. Biases about women as peaceful and innocent prevent us from seeing women as war criminals, and postconflict justice systems from assigning women blame. Women as War Criminals argues that women are just as capable as men of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity and highlights the gendered dynamics of law. The book presents the legal cases of four women, showing that justice is not blind to gender.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 180 pages
Publication date: 08 September 2020
Publisher: Stanford University Press

Women war criminals are a much more prevalent issue than commonly believed. Women have been responsible for heinous acts such as the Holocaust, ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, and the Rwandan genocide. Shockingly, few of these women have faced any consequences for their actions. These women remain unnoticed because their existence challenges our preconceived notions about war and women. Biases about women as peaceful and harmless blind us from recognizing them as war criminals, and this hinders the effectiveness of postconflict justice systems in holding women accountable.

Women as War Criminals delves into the notion that women possess the same capacity as men to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity. This book challenges deeply ingrained assumptions about women as agents of peace and reconciliation, highlighting the gendered dynamics at play in the legal system. It also demonstrates how women can strategically employ their gender to advocate for improved conditions and reduced sentences after wars conclude.

The book presents the legal cases of four women: the President (Biljana Plavšić), the Minister (Pauline Nyiramasuhuko), the Soldier (Lynndie England), and the Student (Hoda Muthana). Each of these women has a complex identity that shaped their treatment by legal systems and their ability to mount a gendered defense in court. The authors, Steflja and Trisko Darden, emphasize that justice is not blind to gender. Their work sheds light on the ways in which gender biases and stereotypes can influence the legal process and the outcomes of cases involving women.

In conclusion, Women as War Criminals is a thought-provoking and important book that challenges our preconceived notions about women and war. It sheds light on the prevalence of women as war criminals and highlights the need for gender-sensitive approaches to justice and postconflict reconciliation. By examining the legal cases of four women, the book demonstrates the complex interplay between gender, identity, and the legal system, and underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing gender biases in order to achieve a more equitable and just society.

Weight: 218g
Dimension: 203 x 126 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503613430