Dr. Karima Bennoune

Biography

Karima Bennoune is the Lewis M. Simes Professor at the University of Michigan Law School, specializing in public international law, international human rights law, and issues related to culture, extremism, and women's human rights. She served as the UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights from 2015 to 2021 and was appointed as an expert for the International Criminal Court in 2017, contributing to the groundbreaking case Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, which pertained to the intentional destruction of cultural heritage sites in Mali. In September 2023, she addressed the UN Security Council on the topic of gender apartheid in Afghanistan. Bennoune has also held significant editorial roles, including serving as a member of the Board of Editors for the American Journal of International Law. Having taught at several esteemed institutions, she previously served as a professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law and the Rutgers School of Law-Newark. Her contributions to academia have earned her multiple accolades, including the Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Award and the L. Hart Wright Award for Excellence in Teaching. Bennoune's book, 'Fatwa Apply,' received the Dayton Literary Peace Prize in 2014 and has sparked critical discussions on extremism and terrorism among people of Muslim heritage. She has made numerous media appearances and her work has been widely cited across various platforms, establishing her as a leading voice on international law and human rights.

Research Interests