As 2025 begins, the ICLC is turning its attention to the critical issue of state responsibility. In 2001, the International Law Commission produced Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, a document that, while never formalized into a convention or treaty, continues to influence judgments from international tribunals. This topic takes on heightened importance this year, as the International Court of Justice faces multiple cases that question the responsibility of states. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court remains focused on prosecuting individuals for criminal acts, raising questions about the interplay between state and individual accountability.

This explores key questions related to state responsibility, including its effectiveness, what has transpired in practice, and what may be expected by international courts and tribunals as these pivotal cases unfold in the coming year.

Speakers:

Narissa Ramsundar is a Principal lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent, England. She has been a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Bar since 1999. She has been researching and teaching international and criminal law for over ten years and has also worked as a State Prosecutor for ten years in Trinidad and Tobago, where she prosecuted a variety of offenses, including murder, sexual offenses, and narcotics trafficking. She worked as a Visiting Professional in the Pre-Trial Chambers of the International Criminal Court from October 2020 to April 2021. Her research examines accountability for international crimes through multiple lenses.

Sean Fleming is a Research Fellow in Politics and International Relations at the University of Nottingham. He is the author of Leviathan on a Leash: A Theory of State Responsibility (Princeton University Press, 2020). He has published articles and chapters on many related topics, including treaty obligations, state crimes, theories of agency and personhood, and the political thought of Thomas Hobbes. Dr. Fleming is also a leading expert on anti-technology extremism. His next book, Darwin Against the Machines: How the Unabomber Turned Science Against Technology, will be published by Cornell University Press in 2026.

This program is moderated by Deniz Tamer.

Nations on Trial: Examining State Responsibility in International Justice was broadcast as a live webinar on January 15, 2025. Watch the recording on our YouTube channel.