More than ten years ago the International Criminal Court (ICC) was established as a universal court meant to achieve criminal justice worldwide. That goal still stands, but so far the Court has dedicated most of its time and resources to African conflicts in which international crimes have been committedWhile the ICC can be said to contribute to criminal justice in Africa, it cannot be denied that the relationship between the Court and the continent has been troublesome. The ICC has been accused of targeting Africa, and many African states do not seem willing to cooperate with the Court. Debates on Africa and international criminal justice are increasingly politicised.The authors of this volume all recognise the current problems and criticism. Yet they do not side with populist pessimists who, after just over a decade of ICC experiences, conclude that the Court and international criminal justice are doomed to fail. Rather, the contributors may be regarded as cautious optimists who believe there is a future for international criminal justice, including the ICC. The contributors use their unique specific knowledge, expertise and experiences as the basis for reflections on the current problems and possible paths for improvement, both when it comes to the ICC as such, and its specific relationship with Africa.

Between 11 and 16 August 2012, the Lonmin platinum mine at Marikana witnessed a tragedy in which 34 miners were killed, more than 70 injured and approximately 250 people arrested. The Marikana Massacre remains a scar in the tissue of post-democratic South Africa. Described as the worst act of violence since the Sharpeville Massacre of 21 March 1960, it was indicative of underlying crises in government and the fabric of society. The brutality of the shootings was indeed no different from state-sponsored violence in the apartheid era. The event was also a turning point in South African history. The fact that the police appointed by the liberation party were opening fire on the people they had vowed to protect sent shock waves throughout the world. Years into the aftermath, what has this event come to mean? This book is a collection of chapters which give an authoritative and cross-disciplinary account of the massacre, up-to-date details of what really happened, what it has meant for the current South African socio-political landscape and how it has changed public discourse and awareness of the mining industry, the broader labour market. The book further considers the lack of accountability for the crimes committed at Marikana. The chapters, written by a wide range of highly regarded scholars and practitioners, address the legacies of Marikana from a broad array of disciplines including law, legal philosophy, media studies, journalism and communication studies, philosophy, political science, economics and public governance.