From The Hague to the margins: The ICC, feminist geopolitics and alternative legal futures

Abstract

The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established to deliver impartial and universal justice, yet its operations are shaped by geopolitical interests and legal formalism, limiting its inclusivity and effectiveness. This commentary draws on feminist geopolitics to critically examine how the ICC's structural ambiguities constrain but also create opportunities for rethinking justice. By foregrounding intersectionality, structural violence and alternative legal frameworks, we propose ways to make international justice mechanisms more responsive to local contexts and marginalised communities. Moving beyond critique, we outline concrete reforms, including expanding the ICC's mandate, decentralising justice processes, and integrating survivor-led approaches. In doing so, we call for a more geographically attuned and socially equitable approach to global justice. We also argue that geographers—especially those working in legal, political and feminist subfields—can play a critical role in illuminating the spatialities of international justice, uncovering power asymmetries, and advancing more inclusive legal imaginaries. Their interventions help expose and challenge the uneven geographies of accountability that shape institutions like the ICC.