The Faculty of Law and the Mona Library have partnered to mount an exhibition honouring Professor Stephen Vasciannie. The display, which runs through April at the Main Library, recognises his career at The UWI spanning from 1994 to his retirement in 2025.
The exhibition, titled Scholarship and Service: Honouring the Work of Professor Stephen Vasciannie, highlights his research and publications in international law, the law of the sea,
constitutional law, and human rights. It showcases several of his monographs, including his seminal work, Landlocked and Geographically Disadvantaged States in the International Law of the Sea (1990). The display also highlights high-impact journal contributions and articles that exemplify his primary scholarly concerns from among his more than 50 published works.
Also on display is a collage featuring a selection of more that 500 newspaper articles he wrote. These pieces not only illustrate his role as a public intellectual but also showcase how he shaped public opinion and provided Caribbean perspectives on diverse topics. These range from international law and reparations to the still-controversial role of the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final appellate court for CARICOM countries.
Acknowledging his impact beyond The UWI, the exhibition provides a snapshot of Professor Vasciannie’s contribution to educational leadership as President of the University of Technology Jamaica and as Principal of the Norman Manley Law School; to public service as a legal practitioner and as Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States of America during the Obama presidency; and to international organisations, such as the Organisation of American States’ Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs which he chaired 2015 to 2016 and the UN International Law Commission of which he was a member between 2005 and 2011.
Testimonials by students and alumni provide the viewer with an appreciation of the impact and influence he has had on generations of students. Audiovisual tributes from legal professionals – including the Hon Mr Justice Batts; the Hon B St Michael Hylton; former International Court of Justice Judge Patrick Robinson; and Ms Lorraine Patterson, Legal Services Consultant – attest to Professor Vasciannie’s excellence. The tributes from academics such as Professor Suzette Haughton (Faculty of Social Sciences) and Ms. Hazelle Jones (Faculty of Law), also spoke to his depth of knowledge, distinguished research, master teaching, and mentorship.
Presenting a strong visual impact, the exhibition pulls its viewers to its curatorial content and invites viewer interaction via its Post-it Board and social media.
The Mona community is invited to view the exhibition and to join the Faculty of Law in saluting Professor Vasciannie for his distinguished scholarship and service.
A first class honours economics graduate of The UWI after his early formative years at St Richards Primary and Kingston College, Professor Vasciannie completed his doctorate in international law in 1988 at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. In 1994 he joined The UWI, lecturing in the Department of Government where he was elevated to the rank of professor in 2002. In 2015 he joined the Faculty of Law where he has taught Public International Law, The Law of the Sea, The Law of International Courts and Tribunals and International Investment Law. He is the recipient of several awards, including the national honour of Order of Distinction, Commander Class.