Book contents
- Terror on Trial
- Cambridge Studies in Law and Society
- Terror on Trial
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- The Authors
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction From the Laboratory of the Lower Courts to the Bataclan Show Trial
- Chapter One Courtroom Scenes and Methodology
- Chapter Two The Trial Actors
- Chapter Three The Laboratory of the 16th Chamber
- Chapter Four The Second Generation of Jihadist Trials
- Chapter Five The ‘Trials for History’
- Chapter Six Final Reflections
- Bibliography
- Index
- Cambridge Studies in Law and Society
Chapter Six - Final Reflections
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 June 2026
Book contents
- Terror on Trial
- Cambridge Studies in Law and Society
- Terror on Trial
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- The Authors
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction From the Laboratory of the Lower Courts to the Bataclan Show Trial
- Chapter One Courtroom Scenes and Methodology
- Chapter Two The Trial Actors
- Chapter Three The Laboratory of the 16th Chamber
- Chapter Four The Second Generation of Jihadist Trials
- Chapter Five The ‘Trials for History’
- Chapter Six Final Reflections
- Bibliography
- Index
- Cambridge Studies in Law and Society
Summary
In September 2021, when the Bataclan trial in Paris began, the United States was commemorating the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York. The proximity of these two dates invites us to reflect on the two different responses to terrorism on either side of the Atlantic. Both responses followed the most severe and unprecedented shock experienced by both societies since World War II and yet the responses are starkly different. By examining different themes, we can see how these two countries have mobilised their judicial systems and the extent of which that their trials were anchored in a geography, legal culture, and an audience.
The first part of the chapter examines these approaches and, more broadly, the historical role of such trials. In the second part, we reflect on the lessons that can be learnt from the French Experience for prosecution of mass crimes. Lastly, we conclude with reflections on the French experience of the war/law on terror.
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Terror on TrialAn Ethnography of French Courts, pp. 183 - 209Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
Accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AAA
Why this information is here
This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.Accessibility Information
The HTML of this chapter
complies with version 2.2 of the
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG), offering more comprehensive accessibility measures for a broad range
of users and attains the highest
(AAA)
level of WCAG compliance, optimising the user experience by meeting the most extensive
accessibility guidelines.
Content Navigation
Table of contents navigation
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Index navigation
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Reading Order & Textual Equivalents
Single logical reading order
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
Short alternative textual descriptions
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
Full alternative textual descriptions
You get more than just short alt text: you have comprehensive text equivalents, transcripts, captions, or audio descriptions for substantial non‐text content, which is especially helpful for complex visuals or multimedia.
You get more than just short alt text: you have comprehensive text equivalents, transcripts, captions, or audio descriptions for substantial non‐text content, which is especially helpful for complex visuals or multimedia.
Visualised data also available as non-graphical data
You can access graphs or charts in a text or tabular format, so you are not excluded if you cannot process visual displays.
You can access graphs or charts in a text or tabular format, so you are not excluded if you cannot process visual displays.
Visual Accessibility
Use of colour is not sole means of conveying information
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
Use of high contrast between text and background colour
You benefit from high‐contrast text, which improves legibility if you have low vision or if you are reading in less‐than‐ideal lighting conditions.
You benefit from high‐contrast text, which improves legibility if you have low vision or if you are reading in less‐than‐ideal lighting conditions.