German and continental European criminal law theory is rooted in 19th century rule of law thinking. My presentation will explore, by way of two examples, its blind-spot(s) and how they are to be remedied. With regard to criminalization theory, I will claim that substantive theories fail to address questions of procedural legitimation in democratic polities . With regard to criminal law doctrine, I will shed light on why (and if) justifications (like self-defense or possibly whistle blowing) do not require a positive codification in a certain and parliamentary norm. Put differently, I will explore why the legality principle is not applied to justifications, although actual criminal liability depends on both the realization of the positive elements of an offense, and the non-realization of any justification. My presentation will bring to the fore that this doctrinal state of affairs results from blind-spot(s) of an outdated rule of law thinking.
Our 2020 Annual Conference was scheduled to be held at the University of Wrocław in Poland on July 9-11, 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ICON·S Executive Committee has decided to postpone our 2020 Conference to 2021. Our next Annual Conference will take place from July 8-10, 2021, in Wrocław, Poland.
Procedural details regarding the organization of the 2021 Conference will follow in the months ahead.
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