Dr Amina Adanan
Biography
Dr Amina Adanan joined Maynooth University School of Law and Criminology in 2017, where she holds the position of Lecturer/ Assistant Professor in Law. Prior to that, she lectured and tutored in the University of Galway and in Dublin City University. Amina lectures in International Criminal Law on the postgraduate programmes in Maynooth University, and Fundamental Rights in Ireland and Irish Property Law on the undergraduate programmes. Her research interests lie in the area of international criminal law, human rights law and the history of international law, specifically the prosecution of atrocity crimes in national courts. Amina is frequently invited to present her research in Ireland and abroad and she is Co-Director of the Research Centre in International Justice in Maynooth University.
To date, Amina has published a number of sole authored academic articles in high ranking and reputable international law journals, including the Journal of International Criminal Justice, International Criminal Law Review, the Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law and the Irish Yearbook of International Law. Amina also publishes on Irish Property Law, including in the area of human rights and property. In addition to academic articles and policy papers, she also disseminates her research to a wider audience via blog posts, and have published in leading blogs in Ireland and abroad, e.g. Opinio Juris and EJIL Talk!. Amina is actively engaged in advocacy and policy work in Ireland e.g. the rights of Mixed Race Irish and prisoner rights. Amina is a member of the Association of Mixed Race Irish’s Racial Justice Forum.
In 2021, Amina was awarded the Royal Irish Academy’s Charlemont Grant for a project on the United Nations War Crimes Commission (1943-48). In 2022, following competitive assessment, she was awarded a New Foundations award from the Irish Research Council. Amina is also a recipient of the National University of Ireland’s Edward J Phelan Fellowship in International Law, the Maynooth University Conference Fund and the Irish Centre for Human Rights Doctoral Fellowship.
In 2018, Amina was awarded a Ph.D. in human rights from the University of Galway for her doctoral thesis entitled ‘Allies and enemies, past and present: An analysis of the rationale for the development of universal jurisdiction over serious crimes under international law’. Prior to that Amina completed an MA (International Relations) in DCU and an LL.B and BA International (Legal Science & Italian) in the University of Galway. Before beginning a career in academia, Amina worked in the Free Legal Advice Centres and UNICEF Ireland in research, advocacy and administrative capacities.
Research Interests
Dr. Amina Adanan’s research interests lie in the area of international criminal law, human rights law and the history of international law, specifically the prosecution of atrocity crimes in national courts. Amina is interested in receiving PhD proposals in these areas. In addition, Amina researches on the topic of human rights in Ireland and the implementation and enforcement of international and European human rights law into the Irish legal system, specifically in area of prisoner rights.
Research Projects
Book Chapter
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Amina Adanan (2020) ''Universal Declaration of Human Rights and customary international law'' In: The Universal Declaration at 70: A review of successes and challenges. Dublin : Clarus. [Link] | |
| 2016 | Adanan A.; Higgins N. (2016) 'Britain's influence on the regulation of the slave trade in the twentieth century' In: British Influences on International Law, 1915-2015. [DOI] |
Edited Book
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Noelle Higgins, Amina Adanan, David Doyle and Michael Doherty (Ed.). (2020) The Universal Declaration at 70: A review of successes and challenges. Dublin: Clarus, [Link] |
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Adanan, A (2021) 'Reflecting on the Genocide Convention in its Eighth Decade How Universal Jurisdiction Developed over Genocide'. Journal of International Criminal Justice, 19 :1039-1065. [DOI] [Full-Text] | |
| 2021 | Adanan, A (2021) 'United Kingdom Policy Towards Universal Jurisdiction Since the Post-War Period'. International Criminal Law Review, 21 :1025-1063. [DOI] | |
| 2014 | Amina Adanan (2014) 'Accountability for Violations of International Humanitarian Law in Domestic Courts: Can War Crimes be Prosecuted in Ireland?'. Irish Yearbook of International Law, 9 :61-87. |
Other Journal
Conference Publication
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Amina Adanan (2019) DBEI ILO NUI Conference Marking the centenary of the International Labour Organization: The Declaration of Philadelphia Revisited Role of Rapporteur for workshop on 'Sustainable and Decent Advancement for All' [Link] |
Conference Contribution
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Amina Adanan (2023) the UNWCC and its (forgotten?) institutional legacy 80th anniversary of United Nations War Crimes Commission-its legacy and relevance in the The Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, University of Leiden (The Hague campus), . [Link] | |
| 2023 | Amina Adanan (2023) Seminar in the School of Oriental and African Studies The exercise of universal jurisdiction in post WWII trials SOAS, London, . [Link] | |
| 2021 | Amina Adanan (2021) 'Examining Universal Jurisdiction as a Counter-hegemonic Tool under International Law' International Criminal Justice- A Counter Hegemonic Project? Berlin University Alliance (online), . | |
| 2021 | Amina Adanan (2021) ‘The practice of Universal Jurisdiction under the UNWCC’ conference on the United Nations War Crimes Commission Online, 19/11/2021-. | |
| 2021 | Amina Adanan (2021) ‘The exercise of universal jurisdiction during the operation of the UNWCC’ Workshop on the United Nations War Crimes Commission Online, 28/05/2021-. | |
| 2021 | Amina Adanan and Mark Chadwick (2021) 'Passing the baton of international justice: The ICC and Universal Jurisdiction' Society of Legal Scholars annual conference 2021 Virtual presentation, . | |
| 2021 | Amina Adanan (2021) 'Questioning the universal in universal jurisdiction' Second Annual Workshop on Research Methods in Fundamental Rights Centre for Fundamental Rights, Hertie School, . | |
| 2020 | Amina Adanan (2020) ‘Women, Work and International Law’ International Congress on the Legal Protection of Working Women in the University of Malaga Online, . | |
| 2020 | Amina Adanan (2020) Response to Professor Laurence Helfer’s paper on ‘Rethinking Derogations from Human Rights Treaties’ International Law and Covid 19 Trinity College Dublin (online), . | |
| 2019 | Amina Adanan (2019) ‘The development of universal jurisdiction as a response to violations of human dignity during armed conflict’ Law and Society Association Annual Conference Washington DC, . | |
| 2018 | Amina Adanan (2018) IALT annual conference ‘How effective is universal criminal jurisdiction in prosecuting atrocity crimes committed in Syria?’ Athlone, Ireland, . | |
| 2018 | Amina Adanan (2018) ‘An analysis of the exercise of universal jurisdiction in the United Kingdom’ Socio-Legal Studies Association Annual Conference Bristol, UK, . | |
| 2018 | Amina Adanan (2018) ‘The Genocide Convention at 70 and the universality principle’ Interdisciplinary Conference on the 70th Anniversary of the Genocide Convention Nottingham University, . |
Published Report
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Doyle, David; Brandon, Avril; Garrihy, Joe; Adanan, Amina; Bracken, Denis (2022) Sometimes I'm missing the words: The rights, needs and experiences of foreign national and minority ethnic groups in the Irish penal system. Irish Penal Reform Trust, . [Link] [Full-Text] | |
| 2021 | Adanan, Amina, Brandon, Avril Margaret. & Bracken, Denis (2021) Training Brief for the Irish Prison Service and Irish Probation Service. Irish Penal Reform Trust, . |
Blog
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Amina Adanan (2022) The Exercise of Universal Jurisdiction by the Post-War Occupying Powers in Germany Under the UNWCC. [Blog] [Link] | |
| 2022 | Amina Adanan and Dan Plesch (2022) Co-Edited symposium of the United Nations War Crimes Commission. [Blog] [Link] | |
| 2021 | Avril Brandon, Amina Adanan, David Doyle, Joe Garrihy and Denis Bracken (2021) Exploring the rights and experiences of migrant and minority ethnic groups in the penal system in Ireland. [Blog] [Link] | |
| 2019 | Amina Adanan (2019) 'Reflecting on the Genocide Convention at 70: How genocide became a crime subject to universal jurisdiction'. [Blog] [Link] | |
| 2019 | Amina Adanan and Jean Molloy (2019) ‘The use of extraterritorial jurisdiction to prosecute returning foreign fighters’. [Blog] [Link] | |
| 2016 | Amina Adanan (2016) Domestic Regulation of Universal Jurisdiction–The Role of National Prosecutors. [Blog] [Link] |
Policy Contribution
Honors and Awards
Committees
Education
Teaching Interests
Dr. Amina Adanan teaches International Criminal Law on the LL.M programmes in the School of Law and Criminology and Property Law and Fundamental Rights in Ireland to undergraduate BCL students. Since joining the School of Law and Criminology in 2017, Amina has also taught International Human Rights Law on the Masters programmes and Constitutional Law on the undergraduate law programmes. In addition, Amina supervises postgraduate dissertations and undergraduate research in her research areas. Prior to joining Maynooth University, Amina lectured in the University of Galway, Dublin City University and in the Centre for Talented Youth, Ireland. Amina has an interest in teaching and learning and recently completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the Maynooth University Centre for Teaching and Learning.