Current, cogent, and as hopeful as it is horrifying.
An analytical overview of obstacles facing the prosecution of war criminals, with historical background and accounts of famous and recent tribunals.
Allen opens with introductions to the American Civil War’s 1863 Lieber Code and later the Geneva Conventions as efforts to establish codified rules for war and foundations for an international system of humanitarian law. He then focuses chiefly on four significant theaters where those efforts played out or are still developing—beginning with a claim that the crucial concept of “crimes against humanity” was established during the Nuremberg trials (“the first international war crimes tribunal in history”). Allen goes on to describe judicial actions in the wake of the Srebrenica massacre of Bosnian Muslims in 1995, the more recent civil war in Syria, and the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Though in all the newer cases procedural delays, ideological differences, and political maneuverings (not to mention threats of violence) figured significantly—and many of the worst offenders did or are likely to escape their just deserts—in general, the author seems optimistic that in this area, too, the moral arc will bend toward justice. He does mention trials in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Cambodia, but in the sparse illustrations, which include one viscerally disturbing photo of Buchenwald death camp victims, the defendants, officials, and victims are all European or Middle Eastern.
Current, cogent, and as hopeful as it is horrifying. (picture credits, source notes, further research, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781678207380
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Brief yet inspirational, this story will galvanize youth to use their voices for change.
Testa’s connection to and respect for nature compelled her to begin championing animal causes at the age of 10, and this desire to have an impact later propelled her to dedicate her life to fighting plastic pollution. Starting with the history of plastic and how it’s produced, Testa acknowledges the benefits of plastics for humanity but also the many ways it harms our planet. Instead of relying on recycling—which is both insufficient and ineffective—she urges readers to follow two additional R’s: “refuse” and “raise awareness.” Readers are encouraged to do their part, starting with small things like refusing to use plastic straws and water bottles and eventually working up to using their voices to influence business and policy change. In the process, she highlights other youth advocates working toward the same cause. Short chapters include personal examples, such as observations of plastic pollution in Mauritius, her maternal grandparents’ birthplace. Testa makes her case not only against plastic pollution, but also for the work she’s done, resulting in something of a college-admissions–essay tone. Nevertheless, the first-person accounts paired with science will have an impact on readers. Unfortunately, no sources are cited and the lack of backmatter is a missed opportunity.
Brief yet inspirational, this story will galvanize youth to use their voices for change. (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-22333-8
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
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