Greg NcNeal Wins Article of the Year Award, Awarded Prestigious Grant
October 30, 2013 -- Greg McNeal, associate professor of law, has received the 2013 Article of the Year award from the American National Section of the International Association of Penal Law for his article "Targeted Killing and Accountability."
Professor McNeal's article, forthcoming in the Georgetown Law Journal in March, is a comprehensive examination of the U.S. practice of targeted killings. Not only does the article provide the first qualitative empirical accounting of the targeted killing process (i.e. Who creates the kill list? How is a targeted killing executed? How is collateral damage assessed?, etc.), but it also provides the analytical framework to assess accountability for targeted killings and suggests potential reforms that can make the process more accountable.
"My goal when writing this article was to provide a bit of insight and clarity about the legal standards for targeted killings and potential political ramifications of the tactic ... I'm both honored and humbled to have been selected by the American Section of the International Association of Penal Law to receive this award," says McNeal.
McNeal is an expert in international security with an active scholarly agenda focused on national security, warfare, surveillance, and new technologies. Since arriving at Pepperdine, he has twice been called upon to testify before Congress on matters related to national security. McNeal hopes the award will help him continue to influence policy. "My article fills a gap in existing literature, and I believe it will enable legal scholars and policymakers to better understand the complex issues associated with targeted killings," says McNeal.
The award selection committee was made up of past award-winners, global security specialists, and senior, tenured law professors who are members of the association.
The Article of the Year award will be presented to McNeal at the American National Section of the International Association of Penal Law's annual meeting on September 21 at Washington University in St. Louis.
10/30/13 Greg McNeal Awarded Prestigious Grant to Fund Book Project
The Carthage Foundation has named Pepperdine University the recipient of a $165,000 grant to support the research of Gregory McNeal, associate professor of law at Pepperdine's School of Law. The grant will fund McNeal's research for a book about America's use of lethal force against suspected terrorists. The book will be based on archival and field research related to precision targeting in warfare and will examine what has come to be known as the practice of "targeted killing." The book will explain, examine, and offer recommendations for enhancing the success and transparency of U.S. policies. The research builds upon previous work that McNeal conducted for his Georgetown Law Journal article, "Targeted Killings and Accountability" which recently won an article of the year award.
McNeal is an expert in international security with an active scholarly agenda focused on national security, warfare, surveillance, and new technologies. Since arriving at Pepperdine, he has twice been called upon to testify before Congress on matters related to national security and frequently consults with elected officials regarding proposed legislation. He recently consulted with and contributed to the development of two U.S. military field manuals aimed at preventing harm to civilians in conflict. He teaches criminal law, criminal procedure, and courses related to national security law and international affairs.