Introduction to the Symposium on Art, Aesthetics and International Justice: The New Geometries of International Justice

[Marina Aksenova is an Associate Professor of International and Comparative Criminal Law at IE University]

The advance of artificial intelligence (AI) represents a seismic shift in how we regulate and structure societies. The question of what keeps us human in the age of algorithmic and synthetic reasoning is then far from trivial. Spontaneous creativity may be one of the answers.

This symposium discusses my new book Art, Aesthetics and International Justice (Routledge, 2025). Six wonderful contributions appearing over the course of the next few days engage with the major themes of the monograph – the universality of human perception and the potential of arts to reinvent international justice. The authors weave a rich tapestry of insights around the core invitation of the book, which is to integrate aesthetic contemplation in practicing, teaching and researching international law. The idea is to harness a more co-operative and adaptable system of norms and institutions that can continue upholding the values enshrined in the UN Charter and mirror the ever-increasing interconnectedness of humanity. This approach responds to our collective awareness of the global challenges, such as populism and ensuing polarization of narratives, wars, climate emergency, and unhinged technological advance.

The contributors travel across time and space – from Indigenous Australian paintings as a way of transmitting empathy when teaching international law to Dutch filmmaking revealing deeply emotional content of words spoken in court; from African traditions of justice focusing on movement to the 16^th century Florence hosting Giambologna‘s brilliant sculptures portraying violence, trauma and moral struggles; from the ancient Athenian depictions of goddesses Athena and Hera clasping hands in unity to the modern politics of (in)visibility.  

How does one build the new geometries of international justice through aesthetic contemplation? I suggest a method of creative inquiry to productively unsettle and re-organize the field, as described in detail in the monograph. The method consists of three elements, according to which I present six contributions to the symposium. The process is circular in nature and stages can be repeated until sufficient clarity arises.

Stage 1: Observation

The first stage is non-engaged observation generative of space for organic insights to emerge. This is to release compulsion to arrive at a certain solution and develop familiarity with uncertainty. Two pieces fit naturally withing this paradigm. Elizabeth Maloba ponders Western-centric approaches to legitimacy prioritizing detachment, stillness and impartiality. She wonders if it is possible to develop a grammar of legitimacy incorporating these values but simultaneously (literally) moving beyond them. She refers to some African traditions of justice, which focus on communal engagement and active embodied participation. Tianying Song also approaches contemplation from a visceral perspective as a cultivation of instinct for unity, which, she argues, is at the core of the cosmopolitan project of international justice. Concentrating on direct experiences of justice then produces much needed mental flexibility to progress with the discipline.

Stage 2: Building 

The stage of building engages the existing theoretical frameworks and attempts to re-assemble them considering the ideas arising in the previous phase. As convincingly explained by Andrew Abbott, there is a possibility to reveal hidden biases and assumptions when approaching theory creatively. I placed contributions by Emiliano Buis and Katerina Borrelli in this category. These pieces recognize the potential of international justice 2.0 as a co-operative and emotionally resonant project, yet both caution against blindly accepting art as a positive and transformative value. They refer to art’s power to facilitate coercion and domination. Buis evokes the image of the ancient goddesses Athena and Hera exchanging a friendly handshake. This relief accompanies the Athenian decrees of Samos inscribed on a late-fifth-century BCE marble stele. The visual transmits the message of parity and harmony between the people of Athens and Samos, while the actual text of the decrees discloses Athenian superiority. The privileges are ‘bestowed’ on Samians, ascribing them an inferior role in the relationship between the two. Borrelli also powerfully questions the singular affirmative view of aesthetics presented in the book. She interrogates the emphasis on the ‘beauty’ in international justice, which is a field responding to violence and disorder. Borrelli introduces the ‘aesthetics of the grotesque’ – the evocative normative umbrella setting the stage for the ‘ugly’ – suffering, resistance, and structural injustice.

Stage 3: Playing 

The last phase of the method is playful engagement with reality, which includes conceptual and non-conceptual elements. The purpose is to apply, experiment and interact with what presents in the moment. Two contributions are most resonant with this stage. Sofia Stolk lovingly portrays aesthetic justice as a quest for humanity and a way to embrace complexity. She poignantly notes that sometimes changing perceptual gears is the only medicine against despair. Sofia explains how spaces of justice, such as the Peace Palace in the Hague, simultaneously serve as a place of collective ownership through sightseeing and play. Finally, Jed Odermatt reflects on the role of art as a force for dialogue grounded in empathy and emotional intelligence. He integrates aesthetic journeys in teaching international law to elucidate the – often hidden – emotive dimension of the field. Students grapple with the message of universality via distinct educational channels. This gives additional moral weight to traditional legal texts and judgements.

The Book’s Ambition in a Nutshell

I will offer some responses to the authors in the final post for the symposium. In lieu of conclusions here, I would like to briefly summarize the core ambition of the book. My intention is to temporarily redirect the discourse in the field of international justice away from its contents, as enticing as treaties, customs, the general principles of law and the institutions applying them may appear to be. The suggested movement is then towards a more embodied and experiential vision of international justice. The basis for such re-routing is our shared impulse to perceive, which is universal. A more practical dimension of the same process is engaging imagination, while momentarily letting go of the familiar frames of legal reference. In other words, the invitation is to build ‘the new geometries of international justice’. This process is comparable with the brain cultivating new neurohormonal pathways to uphold (healthier) habits. The change requires presence in the moment, acceptance of the status quo, creativity in cultivating fresh approaches, and many repetitions of the desired updated behavior. This transformation can be visualized as taking a barely noticeable path in the forest as opposed to defaulting to a familiar highway. With time, the path becomes well-trodden.