I am a history Ph.D. student at the University of Florida studying modern international criminal law, specifically post-1945 transitional justice and human rights. I am also a digital historian with expertise in various archival management systems, and have worked on some pretty sweet projects.

My doctoral research focuses on the crime of aggression (CoA) in the post-WWII world. While my dissertation project will expand upon the role of the CoA in international law throughout the Cold War, it will begin by exploring the charge and its appearance in the debates on Article 6 of the London Charter–also known as the Nuremberg Charter. This Charter, debated and ratified through the International Conference on Military Trials (ICMT) in the summer of 1945, was the founding document of the Nuremberg Tribunals. Allied representatives at the ICMT considered the CoA the most controversial charge during the deliberations and, due to their inability to agree on a definition of aggression, replaced the charge with crimes against peace. Unpacking this initial debate surrounding the CoA helps us understand international law during the Cold War, the formation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 1998, the decade-long debate on CoA’s inclusion in the Rome Statute, and even the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Outside of research, I enjoy traveling, reading, my three cats, and just about anything food related. I am always looking for new collaborations and connections. Please don’t hesitate to email me at whitelyt [at] ufl [dot] edu if you’d like to chat!