In January 2024, the Department of Philosophy and the Centre interdisciplinaire sur les enjeux stratégiques (CIENS) joined forces to organize two days of reflection in tribute to Pierre Hassner. Distinguished guests, including academics, diplomats and journalists, analyzed his work and questioned contemporary strategic issues through his intellectual legacy.
This retrospective highlighted the relevance of Hassnerian thought to contemporary strategic thinking, understanding of conflicts and contemporary geopolitical dynamics.
The second Pierre Hassner lecture will take place on Tuesday January 28, and will feature the Franco-British academic and lawyer Philippe Sands, author of “Retour à Lemberg”. What are the origins of the concept of genocide, and how has it evolved? What is the gap between the public understanding of the term and its legal meaning? Why has genocide come to be regarded as the “crime of crimes”? What might be happening in the context of the jurisprudence of various international tribunals, including the International Court of Justice?
Through a perspective that is at once historical, legal and ethical, Philippe Sands will examine the philosophical and strategic implications of this concept, from its genesis in the XXᵉ century to its contemporary issues.