Professor Aldo Zammit Borda
Contact details
About
Overview
Aldo Zammit Borda is a Professor of Law specialising in international criminal justice and transitional justice. His research examines the intersection of law, history, and accountability in international criminal courts and tribunals, with particular focus on accountability for mass atrocities and victim-survivor participation.
In July 2025, Zammit Borda (Co-Lead) was awarded funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for a landmark research project on ‘Addressing Gaps in Genocide Accountability, the “Victim-Survivor” Complex, and New Participatory Methods’ (UKRI2783).
His research has been published in world-leading, legal and interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journals, including International Affairs (accepted, forthcoming 2026), American Journal of International Law, Modern Law Review, European Journal of International Law, Leiden Journal of International Law, Melbourne Journal of International Law, Nordic Journal of International Law, Human Rights Law Review, Journal of International Criminal Justice, International Criminal Law Review, Journal of Genocide Research, and the International Journal of Transitional Justice, amongst others.
Zammit Borda’s monograph, Histories in International Criminal Courts and Tribunals (TMC Asser Press 2020), engages with the concept of responsible history in international criminal adjudication. The book has been received to critical acclaim. The Leiden Journal of International Law described it as ‘novel, nuanced and persuasive’, noting that it goes beyond theoretical debates to ‘persuasively argue that ICTs are currently writing a history that is listened to and that they must do that responsibly.’ The International Criminal Law Review held that ‘Zammit Borda’s book makes an important and timely contribution to the debate concerning the history-writing function of the ICTs.’ The Cambridge International Law Journal stated that ‘Borda’s book is a significant contribution for its thorough examination of the various approaches (both expansive and restrictive) to history-writing as well as their concomitant limitations when deployed by ICTs.’ The Commonwealth Judicial Journal praised it as a ‘comprehensive (and extensively footnoted) monograph’, whilst a review in the Journal of International Criminal Justice commended his ‘excellent knowledge of international criminal law’ and described the work as ‘thought-provoking’ and ‘a very important input to a field of research that has not seen enough contributions.’
He previously served as a Research Associate at King’s College London on an EU FP7-funded counter-terrorism project, and as acting Head of Department and Director of the Centre for Access to Justice and Inclusion at Anglia Ruskin University. Before joining academia, Aldo served as First Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malta and worked as a Legal Editor at the Commonwealth Secretariat, based at Marlborough House, London.
Zammit Borda obtained his PhD from Trinity College Dublin and holds a Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Malta and a Master of Economic Science in European Economic and Public Affairs from University College Dublin. He is a Solicitor in England and Wales (non-practising) and an Advocate of the Courts of Malta.
He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and serves on the Review Committees of the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, the ESRC, and the Newton Prize. He also regularly undertakes peer review for international funders. In 2019, he was awarded a British Academy/Leverhulme Grant. He was previously a Fellow of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple.
Qualifications
- PhD, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
- PG Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy, University of Malta, Malta
- Master of Economic Science in European Economic and Public Affairs, University College Dublin, Ireland
- Doctor of Laws, University of Malta, Malta
Employment
- LLB Programme Co-Director, City, University of London, United Kingdom, January 2022 - December 2024
Fellowships
- Visiting Scholar, Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, Heidelberg, March 2019 - April 2021
Memberships of committees
- Member of the Peer Review College of the Economic and Social Research Council, January 2025 - present
- Member, Review Committee of the Newton Prize
- Member, Peer Review College of the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships
Memberships of professional organisations
- Member, European Society of International Law
- Member, Society of Legal Scholars
- Member, European Law Institute
- Initial Member, ESIL Interest Group on International Criminal Justice
Research students
1stsupervisor
- Muhammad Tanvir Hashem Munim, Research Student
- Flavia Andrea Lamarre, Research Student
Publications
Featured publications
- Zammit Borda, A., Mandelbaum, S. and Pelliconi, A.M. (2026). The ILC Study on Teachings as Subsidiary Means: Arguments for a Pluralist Reading. American Journal of International Law, 120(2), pp. 322-342. doi:10.1017/ajil.2026.10154
- Zammit Borda, A. (2025). Unpacking the Harms of Reproductive Violence in Mass Atrocities: Developing a New Typology. The International Journal of Transitional Justice. doi:10.1093/ijtj/ijaf022
- Zammit Borda, A. (2024). Putting Reproductive Violence on the Agenda: A Case Study of the Yazidis. Journal of Genocide Research, 26(1), pp. 94-114. doi:10.1080/14623528.2022.2100594
- Zammit Borda, A. and Mandelbaum, S. (2023). ‘If I Would Stay Alive, I Would Be Their Voice’: On the Legitimacy of International People's Tribunals. The Modern Law Review, 86(1), pp. 67-84. doi:10.1111/1468-2230.12747
- Zammit Borda, A. (2020). History in International Criminal Trials. Journal of International Criminal Justice, 18(3), pp. 543-566. doi:10.1093/jicj/mqaa039
- Dakhil, V., Zammit Borda, A. and Murray, A.R.J. (2017). ‘Calling ISIL Atrocities Against the Yezidis by Their Rightful Name’: Do They Constitute the Crime of Genocide? Human Rights Law Review, 17(2), pp. 261-283. doi:10.1093/hrlr/ngx004
- Zammit Borda, A. (2013). A Formal Approach to Article 38(1)(d) of the ICJ Statute from the Perspective of the International Criminal Courts and Tribunals. European Journal of International Law, 24(2), pp. 649-661. doi:10.1093/ejil/cht023
Publications by category
Books (3)
- Borda, A.Z. (2020). Histories Written by International Criminal Courts and Tribunals Developing a Responsible History Framework. Springer Nature. ISBN 9789462654273.
- Borda, A.Z. (2013). Legislative Drafting. Routledge. ISBN 9781317983026.
- Borda, A.Z. (2013). International Humanitarian Law and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Routledge. ISBN 9781317987451.
Chapters (3)
- Zammit Borda, A. and Prosperi, L. (2020). A Partial View of History: ICTY Judgments as “Judicial Truths”. In Stahn, C., Agius, C., Brammertz, S., Hocking, J. and Rohan, C. (Eds.), Legacies of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia: A Multidisciplinary Account Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198862956.
- Zammit Borda, A., Murphy, C.M. and Hoyte, L. (2015). Law Enforcement Perspectives on EU Counter–Terrorism Co–operation’. In de Londras, F. and Doody, J. (Eds.), The Impact, Legitimacy and Effectiveness of EU Counter–Terrorism Routledge. ISBN 9781138854130.
- Murphy, C.C., Borda, A.Z. and Hoyte, L. (2015). The perspectives of counter-terrorism operatives on EU counter-terrorism law and policy. Impact Legitimacy and Effectiveness of Eu Counter Terrorism (pp. 157-180).
Journal articles (14)
- Zammit Borda, A. (2026). Head of State Immunity and the International Criminal Court: Re-Reading the Immunity Debate Through Wight’s Three Traditions. International Criminal Law Review pp. 1-31. doi:10.1163/15718123-bja10274
- Zammit Borda, A. (2026). Judging Where States Will Not: Towards a Theory of Relational Legitimacy for People’s Tribunals. International Affairs
- Zammit Borda, A. and Hosen, S. (2022). The challenges of long-delayed prosecutions in fighting impunity in Bangladesh. Leiden Journal of International Law, 35(4), pp. 987-1014. doi:10.1017/s0922156522000346
- Borda, A.Z. (2015). How Do International Judges Approach Competing Precedent? An Analysis of the Practice of International Criminal Courts and Tribunals in Relation to Substantive Law. International Criminal Law Review, 15(1), pp. 124-146. doi:10.1163/15718123-01501003
- Zammit Borda, A. (2015). The appointment, tenure and removal of judges under Commonwealth principles: a compendium and analysis of best practice. Commonwealth Law Bulletin, 41(4), pp. 501-501. doi:10.1080/03050718.2015.1093767
- ZAMMIT BORDA, A. (2015). Appraisal-Based and Flexible Approaches to External Precedent in International Criminal Law. Leiden Journal of International Law, 28(3), pp. 643-664. doi:10.1017/s0922156515000333
- Borda, A.Z. (2015). The appointment, tenure and removal of judges under Commonwealth principles: a compendium and analysis of best practice. Commonwealth Law Bulletin, 41(3), pp. 325-325. doi:10.1080/03050718.2015.1080435
- Borda, A.Z. (2015). The Notion of ‘Persuasive Value’ of External Precedent in International Criminal Law. Nordic Journal of International Law, 84(1), pp. 29-58. doi:10.1163/15718107-08401001
- Borda, A.Z. (2013). An Overview of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal and Its Use of Discretion in Employment-Related Judgments. Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal, 13(2), pp. 313-329. doi:10.5235/14729342.13.2.313
- Borda, A.Z. (2013). The Use of Precedent as Subsidiary Means and Sources of International Criminal Law. Tilburg Law Review, 18(2), pp. 65-82. doi:10.1163/22112596-01802002
- Borda, A.Z. (2013). Precedent in International Criminal Courts and Tribunals. Cambridge Journal of International and Comparative Law, 2(2), pp. 287-313. doi:10.7574/cjicl.02.02.112
- Zammit Borda, A. (2010). Law Reports of the Commonwealth: Editorial Review 2009. Commonwealth Law Bulletin, 36(4), pp. 727-727. doi:10.1080/03050718.2010.524354
- Zammit Borda, A. (2009). International humanitarian law in the Commonwealth. Commonwealth Law Bulletin, 35(4), pp. 719-719. doi:10.1080/03050710903387865
- Borda, A.Z. (2008). Introduction to International Humanitarian Law. Commonwealth Law Bulletin, 34(4), pp. 739-748. doi:10.1080/03050710802521523
Report
- Abraham, A., Eatwell, T. and Zammit Borda, A. (2022). State Responsibility and the Genocide of the Yazidis. Yazidi Justice Committee. ISBN 9798831774658.
Working papers (2)
- Zammit Borda, A. and Mandelbaum, S. (2022). ‘If I Would Stay Alive, I Would Be Their Voice’: On the Legitimacy of International People's Tribunals. London, UK: City Law School, City, University of London
- Zammit Borda, A. and Hosen, S. (2022). The challenges of long-delayed prosecutions in fighting impunity in Bangladesh. London, UK: City Law School, City, University of London
Other
-
Borda, A.Z.(2022). International Criminal Courts and Tribunals.
[Elsevier]
Professional activities
Events/conferences (2)
-
Geoffrey Nice Foundation Masterclass in Dubrovnik, Croatia. (2021). Invited speaker.
Paper: Member of the Faculty -
Panel on Law, International Law and Collective Memory chaired by Prof. Moshe Hirsh, Memory Studies Association, Copenhagen. (2017). Panel Member Invited speaker.
Paper: A Partial View of History at the ICTY
Co-authors: Luigi Prosperi