The Research Centre in International Justice (RCIJ) officially launched on Friday the 6th of October with two stirring and thought-provoking keynote addresses delivered by Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC FRSA (international human rights lawyer, and Ireland’s Special Rapporteur on Child Protection) and Professor Kristian Lasslett (Ulster University and the International State Crime Initiative). Caolifhionn and Kristian’s keynotes spoke critically to the state of international justice, from the lack of legal protections and supports afforded to victims/survivors of state crime and harm, to the harms caused by states’ non-enforcement of international and national law when such law exists (particularly when it concerns the criminality of powerful actors, such as transnational corporations). In sharing their rich personal experiences, Caolifhionn and Kristian identified the many challenges such issues pose for “activist” lawyers and academics working in international justice and in a call-to-arms suggested potential ways forward for the field.
The launch reflects the RCIJ’s unique blend of legal and criminological expertise, which spans international criminal, environmental, human rights, humanitarian, migration and refugee law, transnational and global crime, among many other interests. Founded by Dr Noelle Higgins in 2022, and Co-Directed by Dr Amina Adanan and Dr Rhiannon Bandiera, the RCIJ comprises eight full-time members of staff, as well as postgraduate students from Maynooth University’s School of Law and Criminology. At its core, the Centre advocates for the rights of vulnerable groups, including ensuring the rights of and vindicating persons who experience injustice.
