We are pleased to announce that the 2026 Research Prize in international criminal law presented by the International Nuremberg Principles Academy has been awarded to Clémence Pellissier, PhD candidate in International Law and Political Science at Trinity College Dublin.
Ms Pellissier is conducting doctoral research working on the (dis)similarities in the jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice and international criminal tribunals in the adjudication of mass atrocities. Her research examining why judges confronted with similar legal questions can sometimes arrive at convergent readings of international law and sometimes diverge. Through a comparative analysis of landmark decisions, Ms Pellissier explores how institutional objectives and concerns over legitimacy shape judicial reasoning.
The prize supports the laureate’s participation in the Adamas Residences, a European residency programme for legal researchers, which took place from 7 to 11 September 2026 at the Château de Goutelas, in Marcoux, France, a cultural meeting centre situated within a unique heritage site.
During the Adamas Residency, Ms Pellissier, along with four other researchers from diverse legal disciplines, each a laureate recognised by one of the programme’s partner institutions for their doctoral research, focused on advancing their work while engaging in interdisciplinary exchanges with fellow participants and artists. The programme concluded with a closing session on 11 September bringing together all partner institutions for a collective reflection on the residency's outcomes. The Academy was represented by Deputy Director Dr Viviane Dittrich who participated remotely.
Inspired by artists' residencies, and conceived by the jurist Mireille Delmas-Marty, the Adamas Residencies offer a unique opportunity to:
- Provide an exceptional working environment that fosters connections between young lawyers, creators and researchers.
- Facilitate collaboration and dialogue between academic researchers and practitioners across different legal fields.
- Promote reflection on the role of legal humanism, particularly in constitutional, international, criminal and economic law.
- Explore the intersection of legal humanism with pressing contemporary social issues (new technologies, environment, migration, health, etc.).
- Further develop the Bibliothèque des Humanismes, a project initiated at the Château de Goutelas.
The Adamas Residencies are an initiative of the Château de Goutelas and are organised annually in cooperation with the International Nuremberg Principles Academy, the Conseil constitutionnel (French Constitutional Council), the Association Internationale de Droit Économique (A.I.D.E., International Association of Economic Law), the Institut Robert Badinter (formerly IERDJ) and the Association Française de Droit du Travail et de la sécurité sociale (A.F.D.T., Association for Labour Law and Social Security). (ec)
