Smeulers, Prof. Alette
Alette Smeulers is a Professor of Criminal Law and Criminology of International Crimes at the Faculty of Law and the University College Groningen. Her research focuses on international crimes including war crimes, genocide, human rights violations, and terrorism. In-depth research into extreme forms and displays of mass violence—in particular the causes of such crimes and the perpetrators thereof—is crucial to effectively combat and prevent such crimes, she says. Her research has focused on apartheid in South Africa, the genocide in Rwanda, the war in former Yugoslavia, the Islamic State and the people behind these atrocities as well as the international criminal justice system.
Smeulers obtained her PhD in International Criminal Law from Maastricht University in 2003 with her dissertation on extradition and human rights. From 2006 to 2011, she worked at VU Amsterdam where she set up the Master’s degree programme in International Crimes and Criminology, which has since been renamed International Crimes, Conflict and Criminology. Since 2018, she has been working full-time at the University of Groningen.
Smeulers has published many articles and books on international crime and its perpetrators, and often holds presentations and guest lectures on the subject. Smeulers hosts the podcast Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal? together with Nicola Quaedvliegm, where they discuss the perpetrators of large-scale international crimes.
Previously in the news (mostly in Dutch)
Contact and further information
2024
Molenkamp,
A., Weerdesteijn, M., & Smeulers, A. (2024).
A Playstation Mentality to Killing? Adverse Psychological
Consequences in Drone Pilots and the Stigmatization thereof in the
Military. Armed Forces & Society.
Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095327X241236221
Smeulers,
A. (2024). Book review Ilse Koch on Trial: making the
Bitch of Buchenwald - Tomaz Jardim. Holocaust and
Genocide Studies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/hgs/dcae005
Smeulers,
A. (2024). Book review: Perpetrators: Encountering
Humanity’s Dark Side, written by Antonius C. G. M. Robben and
Alexander Laban Hinton. Global Responsibility to
Protect. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1163/1875984X-20240024
Janssen,
J., Janmaat, W., Rijken, C., Smeulers, A., de Zwart,
J., & Bottger, A. (2024). De invloed van oorlogen en
conflicten op het werk van veiligheidsprofessionals in
Nederland. PROCES, 103(5),
295-304. https://doi.org/10.5553/PROCES/016500762024103005003
2023
Smeulers,
A. (2023). Perpetrators of mass atrocities:
terribly and terrifyingly normal? Routledge, Taylor and
Francis group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003437222
2022
Smeulers,
A. (2022, May 1). Fireside chat with prof. Alette
Smeulers and Dr. Thijs Bouwknegt.
Smeulers,
A. (2022). Individuals as Perpetrators of Atrocity
Crimes. In B. Hola, H. Nyseth Nzitatira, & M.
Weerdesteijn (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook on Atrocity
Crimes (pp. 281-307). (Oxford Handbooks). Oxford University
Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190915629.013.12
2020
Smeulers,
A. (2020). A criminological approach to the ICC
Control Theory. In K. J. Heller, F. Mégret, S. MH.
Nouwen, J. D. Ohlin, & D. Robinson (Eds.), The Oxford
Handbook of International Criminal Law (pp. 379-399). Oxford
University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/law/9780198825203.003.0017
Smeulers,
A. (2020). Milgram revisited: Can we still use
Milgram’s ‘Obedience to Authority’ Experiments to
Explain Mass Atrocities after the Opening of the Archives? Review
essay. Journal of Perpetrator
Research, 3(1), 216-244. https://doi.org/10.21039/jpr.3.1.45
2019
Smeulers,
A. (2019). Concluding thoughts. In A. Smeulers,
M. Weerdesteijn, & B. Hola (Eds.), Perpetrators of
international crimes: Theories, methods and evidence (pp.
315-322). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198829997.003.0018
Smeulers,
A., & Simic, O. (2019). Female war crime
perpetrators in Bosnia Herzegovina. In S. Mouthaan, & O.
Jurasz (Eds.), Gender and war: international and transitional
justice perspectives (pp. 65-91). Intersentia. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781780688466.004
Smeulers,
A. (2019). Historical overview of perpetrator
studies. In A. Smeulers, M. Weerdesteijn, & B. Hola
(Eds.), Perpetrators of international crimes: Theories,
methodes and evidence (pp. 11-28). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198829997.003.0002
Smeulers,
A., Weerdesteijn, M., & Hola, B. (2019).
Introduction. In A. Smeulers, M. Weerdesteijn, &
B. Hola (Eds.), Perpetrators of international crimes: theories,
methods, and evidence (pp. 1-8). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198829997.003.0001
Smeulers,
A., Weerdesteijn, M., & Hola, B. (Eds.) (2019).
Perpetrators of international crimes: Theories, methods
and evidence. Oxford University Press.
Smeulers,
A., Hola, B., & Weerdesteijn, M. (2019). Theories,
methods and evidence. In A. Smeulers, M. Weerdesteijn, &
B. Holá (Eds.), Perpetrators of international crimes:
Theories, methods and evidence (pp. 29-53). Oxford University
Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198829997.003.0003
Smeulers,
A. (2019). Why Serious International Crimes Might Not
Seem ‘Manifestly Unlawful’ to Low-level Perpetrators: A
Social–Psychological Approach to Superior Orders .
Journal of International Criminal Justice,
17(1), 105-123. https://doi.org/10.1093/jicj/mqz001
2017
Smeulers,
A., & van wijk, J. (2017). Criminologie van de
internationale misdrijven. Tijdschrift voor
Criminologie, 59(1-2), 194-205. Article TVC
2017/1-2. https://doi.org/10.5553/TvC/0165182X2017059102011
2016
de
Brouwer, A.-M., & Smeulers, A. (2016).
Introduction. In A.-M. de Brouwer, & A. Smeulers
(Eds.), The Elgar Companion to the International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda (pp. 1-12). (Elgar Companions to the
International Courts and Tribunals). Edward Elgar. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781784711702.00007
Hola,
B., & Smeulers, A. (2016). Rwanda and the
ICTR: facts and figures. In A.-M. de Brouwer, & A.
Smeulers (Eds.), The Elgar Companion to the international
criminal tribunal of Rwanda (pp. 44-75). (Elgar Companions to
the International Courts and Tribunals). Edward Elgar. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781784711702.00010
Smeulers,
A. (2016). Terrorisme en zijn achtergronden.
Strafblad, 14(4), 303-311.
de
Brouwer, A.-M., & Smeulers, A. (Eds.) (2016).
The Elgar Companion to the International Criminal
Tribunal of Rwanda. (Elgar Companions to the
International Courts and Tribunals). Edward Elgar.
2015
Smeulers,
A. (2015). Een steekje los? Over de geestesgesteldheid
van daders van internationale misdrijven: van Neurenberg tot Den
Haag. Ontmoetingen : Voordrachtenreeks van het
Lutje Psychiatrisch-Juridisch Gezelschap, 1-15. http://www.lutjepjg.nl/publicaties
Smeulers,
A. (2015). Female perpetrators: ordinary and
extra-ordinary women. International Criminal Law
Review, 15(2), 207-253. https://doi.org/10.1163/15718123-01502001
Smeulers,
A., & Weerdesteijn, M. (2015). Internationaal
Strafhof ten onrechte onder vuur. Ars
Aequi, 2015(11), 883-887. Article
AA20150883.
Smeulers,
A. L., Weerdesteijn, M., & Hola, B. (2015). The
selection of situations by the ICC: an empirically based evaluation
of the OTP's performance. International Criminal
Law Review, 15(1), 1.
2014
Smeulers,
A. (2014). Betrouwbaarheid van getuigenbewijs in
WIM-zaken. Strafblad, 12(5),
354-364.
Smeulers,
A. (2014). Genocidale daders: toch geen doodgewone
mannen? : Boekbespreking van Abram de Swaan - compartimenten van
vernietiging. Sociologie,
10(2), 202.
Smeulers,
A. (2014). Het ultieme kwaad: de daders.
Tijdschrift over Cultuur & Criminaliteit,
4(3), 36-52. https://doi.org/10.5553/TCC/221195072014004003003
Smeulers,
A. (2014). Preventing international crimes: Criminal
Justice in International Society. In W. de Lint, M. Marmo,
& N. Chazal (Eds.), Criminal Justice in Internationl
Society (pp. 267-281). (Routledge Advances in Criminology).
Routledge.
Lawry,
L., de Brouwer, A. L. M., Smeulers, A., Rosa, J. C.,
Kisielewski, M., Johnson, K., Scott, J., & Wieczorek, J.
(2014). The Use of Population-Based Surveys for Prosecutions
at the International Criminal Court: A Case Study of Democratic
Republic of Congo. International Criminal Justice
Review, 24(1), 5-21. https://doi.org/10.1177/1057567714523982
Smeulers,
A. (2014). Tien jaar wet internationale misdrijven:
een evaluatie. Delikt en Delinkwent,
44(4), 267-290.
2013
Smeulers,
A., & Quaedvlieg, H. M. J. (2013). Internationale
misdrijven. In M. Groenhuijsen, & T. Kooijmans (Eds.),
Roosachtig strafrecht : liber amicorum Theo de Roos (pp.
579-594). Wolters Kluwer.
Smeulers,
A., Hola, B., & van den Berg, T. (2013).
Sixty-five years of international criminal justice: the facts
and figures. International Criminal Law
Review, 13(1), 7-41.
Smeulers,
A., Hola, B., & van den Berg, T. (2013).
Sixty-Five years of international criminal justice. In
D. L. Rothe, J. Meernik, & J. Ingadóttir (Eds.), The
realities of international criminal justice (pp. 7-41).
Martinus Nijhoff.
2012
Hola,
B., Bijleveld, C., & Smeulers, A. (2012).
Consistency of international sentencing: ICTY and ICTR case
study. European Journal of
Criminology, 9(5), 539-552. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477370812453112
Smeulers,
A. (2012). Crimes against humanity. In J.
Ciment (Ed.), Global Social Issues : an encyclopedia (pp.
970-975). Sharpe Reference.
Smeulers,
A. (2012). Het beleid van de aanklager onder de loep.
[Review van het boek De aanklager - Het Joegoslavië-tribunaal
en de selectie van verdachten, F. de Vlaming, 2010].
Rechtsgeleerd Magazijn Themis, 173,
33-38.
Smeulers,
A. (2012). In opdracht van de staat:
Gezagsgetrouwe criminelen en internationale misdrijven.
Tilburg University.
Smeulers,
A. (2012). War Crimes. In J. Ciment (Ed.),
Global Social Issues: an encyclopedia (pp. 970-975).
Sharpe Reference.
2011
Haveman,
R. H., Smeulers, A., Parmentier, S., & de Poot, C.
(2011). De staat van de criminologie van internationale
misdrijven. Tijdschrift voor
Criminologie, 53(4), 287-309.
Smeulers,
A. (2011). Eroding the myth of pure evil. In R.
Letschert, & A. Pemberton (Eds.), Victimological approaches
to international crimes: Africa (pp. 65-88). (Series
Supranational Criminal Law: Capita selecta; Vol. 13).
Intersentia.
Smeulers,
A., & Grünfeld, F. (2011). International
crimes and other gross human rights violations: A multi- and
interdisciplinary textbook. (International and
comparative criminal law series; Vol. 32). Martinus Nijhoff.
Hola,
B., Smeulers, A., & Bijleveld, C. (2011).
International sentencing facts and figures: Sentencing
practice at the ICTY and ICTR. Journal of
International Criminal Justice, 9(2), 411-439.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jicj/mqr014
Weerdesteijn,
M., & Smeulers, A. (2011). Propaganda en
paramilitairen: De normalisatie van geweld in het Servië van
de jaren negentig. Tijdschrift voor
Criminologie, 53(4), 287-309.
Hola,
B., Bijleveld, C., & Smeulers, A. (2011).
Punishment for genocide: Exploratory analysis of ICTR
sentencing. International Criminal Law
Review, 11(4), 745-773. https://doi.org/10.1163/157181211x587193
Smeulers,
A. L. (2011). Standard operating procedure. In
F. Koenraadt, & R. Wolleswinkel (Eds.), Homo Ludens en
humaan strafrecht: funderen, vergelijken, onderwijzen :
gedenkbundel dr. Peter Bal (pp. 257-270). (Pompe reeks; Vol.
67). Boom Lemma.
2010
Smeulers,
A. (Ed.) (2010). Collective violence and
international criminal justice: an interdisciplinary
approach. (Supranational Criminal Law: Capita Selecta;
Vol. 8). Intersentia.
Smeulers,
A. (2010). Collective violence and international
criminal justice: towards an interdisciplinary approach. In
A. Smeulers (Ed.), Collective violence and international
criminal justice: an interdisciplinary approach (pp. 13-18).
(Supranational Criminal Law: Capita Selecta; Vol. 8).
Intersentia.
Smeulers,
A., & Hola, B. (2010). ICTY and the culpability of
different types of perpetrators of international crimes. In
A. Smeulers (Ed.), Collective violence and international
criminal justice: an interdisciplinary approach (pp. 175-206).
(Supranational Criminal Law: Capita Selecta; Vol. 8).
Intersentia.
Smeulers,
A., & Hoex, L. (2010). Studying the Microdynamics
of the Rwandan Genocide. British Journal of
Criminology, 50(3), 435-454. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azq004
Smeulers,
A., & Werner, W. (2010). The banality of evil on
trial. In C. Stahn, & L. van den Herik (Eds.),
Future perspectives on international criminal justice (pp.
24-43). T.M.C. Asser Press.
2009
Smeulers,
A., & van Niekerk, S. (2009). Abu Ghraib and the
War on Terror-a case against Donald Rumsfeld?
Crime, Law and Social Change,
51(3-4), 327-349. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-008-9160-2
Bijleveld,
C., Morssinkhof, A., & Smeulers, A. (2009).
Counting the countless: Rape victimization during the rwandan
genocide. International Criminal Justice
Review, 19(2), 208-224. https://doi.org/10.1177/1057567709335391
Smeulers,
A. (2009). De meerwaarde van de criminologie van de
internationale misdrijven. Strafblad : tijdschrift
voor wetenschap en praktijk, 2009(4),
421-430.
Hola,
B., Smeulers, A., & Bijleveld, C. (2009). Is
ICTY Sentencing Predictable? An Empirical Analysis of ICTY
Sentencing Practice. Leiden Journal of
International Law, 22(1), 79-97. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0922156508005645
2008
Haveman,
R., & Smeulers, A. (2008). Criminology in a
state of denial: towards a criminology of international crimes:
supranational criminology. In A. Smeulers, & R. Haveman
(Eds.), Supranational Criminology: towards a criminology of
international crimes (pp. 3-26). (Supranational Criminal Law:
Capita Selecta; Vol. 6). Intersentia.
Smeulers,
A. (2008). In hun eigen woorden: Genocide, foltering
en andere internationale misdrijven door de ogen van de
daders. Tijdschrift voor Criminologie,
50(4), 361-371.
Smeulers,
A. (2008). International crimes and criminology: an
agenda for future research. In A. Smeulers, & R. Haveman
(Eds.), Supranational Criminology: towards a criminology of
international crimes (pp. 487-512). (Supranational Criminal
Law: Capita Selecta; Vol. 6). Intersentia.
Smeulers,
A. (2008). Perpetrators of international crimes:
towards a typology. In A. Smeulers, & R. Haveman (Eds.),
Supranational Criminology: towards a criminology of
international crimes (pp. 233-265). (Supranational Criminal
Law: Capita Selecta; Vol. 6). Intersentia.
Smeulers,
A. (2008). Punishing the Enemies of All
Mankind. Leiden Journal of International
Law, 21(4), 971-993. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0922156508005487
Smeulers,
A., & Haveman, R. (Eds.) (2008). Supranational
Criminology: towards a criminology of international
crimes. (Supranational Criminal Law: Capita Selecta;
Vol. 6). Intersentia.
2007
Smeulers,
A. (2007). Note to the Nikolic-case ICTY. In A.
Klip, & G. Sluiter (Eds.), Annotated leading cases of
international criminal tribunals / Vol. XI, The International
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia 2002-2003 (pp.
106-112). Intersentia.
2006
Smeulers,
A. (2006). Criminologie in een 'state of denial'? Ook
nternationale misdrijven vergen criminologische benadering.
Tijdschrift voor Criminologie,
48(3), 275-289.
2005
Smeulers,
A. (2005). The position of the individual in
international criminal co-operation. In J. A. E. Vervaele
(Ed.), European evidence warrant : transnational judicial
inquiries in the EU (pp. 79-102). Intersentia.
2004
Klip,
A. H., & Smeulers, A. (2004). Afrekenen met
het verleden: de afdoening van internationale misdrijven. In
A. H. Klip, A. Smeulers, & M. W. Wolleswinkel (Eds.),
KriTies: liber amicorum et amicarum voor prof. mr. E.
Prakken (pp. 313-330). Kluwer.
Smeulers,
A. (2004). Europees Aanhoudingsbevel: consequenties
voor de rechtspraktijk en mensenrechtelijke aspecten.
Justitiële Verkenningen, 2004,
66-84.
Klip,
A. H., Smeulers, A., & Wolleswinkel, M. W. (Eds.)
(2004). KriTies: liber amicorum et amicarum voor prof.
mr. E. Prakken. Kluwer.
Smeulers,
A. (2004). What transforms ordinary people into gross
human rights violators. In S. C. Carey, & S. C. Poe
(Eds.), Understanding Human Rights Violations: New Systematic
Studies (pp. 239-256). Ashgate Publishing.
2003
Smeulers,
A., & de Vries, J. (2003). Het Europees
aanhoudingsbevel: gerechtvaardigd vertrouwen? NJCM
Bulletin. Nederlands Tijdschrift voor de Mensenrechten,
28(4), 428-460.
Smeulers,
A. (2003). Het Europees Aanhoudingsbevel.
Militair Rechtelijk Tijdschrift,
2003, 237-252.
Smeulers,
A. (2003). Nederlands gestuntel in Krekarzaak.
Nederlands Juristenblad NJB,
2003(18), 920-923.
Grünfeld,
F., & Smeulers, A. (2003). NGO's als
informatieverschaffers in vergelijking met statelijke
actoren. In C. Flinterman, & W. van Genugten (Eds.),
Niet-statelijke actoren en de rechten van de mens: gevestigde
waarden, nieuwe wegen (pp. 93-118). Boom Juridische
uitgevers.
Smeulers,
A. (2003). Zie voor een andere mening….
In Tien jaar Maastrichts Centrum voor de Rechten van de Mens
1993-2003: Een 'proefschriftondervindelijke' terugblik (pp.
73-77). Universiteit Maastricht.
2002
Smeulers,
A. (2002). In staat van uitlevering: "houden
uitleveringsrechters in Nederland, Duitsland en de Verenigde Staten
voldoende rekening met het proces en de behandeling die de
opgeeĢiste persoon in de verzoekende staat na uitlevering te
wachten staan?". [Thesis fully external, Maastricht
University]. Intersentia.
1997
Ingelse,
C., & Smeulers, A. (1997). Fundamentele
rechten, uitlevering en de Nederlandse rechter.
Nederlands Juristenblad NJB,
1997(1), 16-18.
Smeulers,
A. (1997). Geeft de Nederlandse uitleveringsprocedure
voldoende waarborgen op het recht gevrijwaard te blijven van
foltering? NJCM Bulletin. Nederlands Tijdschrift
voor de Mensenrechten, 124-138.
1996
Smeulers,
A. (1996). Auschwitz and the Holocaust through the
eyes of the perpetrators. Driemaandelijks
Tijdschrift van de Stichting Auschwitz,
1996(50), 23-55.
1995
Smeulers,
A. (1995). Lost innocence. Torture:
journal on rehabilitation of torture victims and prevention of
torture, 50(2), 11-13.
Smeulers,
A. (1995). The echo of the 2 o' clock knock on the
door. Torture: journal on rehabilitation of
torture victims and prevention of torture,
5(3), 64.
Flinterman,
C., Lofton, R. M., & Smeulers, A. L. (1995).
The need for a special United Nations rapporteur on health
professionals and human rights. Medisch
Contact, 51(45), 1473-1475.
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