Gavrielides, T. (Forthcoming 2028). A Research Agenda for Restorative Justice. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publications.
Book objectives
Restorative justice has come out of the shadows of research, policy and practice to capture the imagination and creativity of numerous practitioners, NGOs and communities. A community-born, bottom-up approach to preventing harm and healing the consequences of crime, restorative justice is now even appealing to governments and international public bodies. Nevertheless, the vast literature on restorative justice remains conservative and conventional with little interest in exploring provocative ways of challenging the status quo and current practices. By definition, restorative justice is a radical framework that can generate innovation both in terms of our normative thinking, but also in how we exercise and pursue justice and power.
This book takes a bold and belated step in challenging not only the justice field and its professionals, but also the restorative justice movement itself. Combining findings from primary research, fieldwork and normative analysis, the book aims to open new avenues not only in how justice is designed and delivered, but also in the way we govern our affairs at the inter-personal, inter-community and inter-state levels.
Book structure & audience
This monograph builds on the edited collection Gavrielides, T. (2018). Routledge International Handbook of Restorative Justice, London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-4724-8070-5.
With fully up-to-date data from new fieldwork and cutting edge research, this book speaks to researchers, policymakers and practitioners from around the world. It also addresses human rights and social justice campaigners from around the world looking for a new approach that can better serve harmed parties, their families, and communities. For educators, it can inform restorative justice modules, post-graduate courses in law, criminology, psychology and justice studies.
More than a book
This book forms part of the Elgar Research Agendas. The unique series outlines the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary.
Table of contents
Foreword: Professor John Braithwaite (Distinguished Professor, College of Asia and the Pacific, School of Regulation & Global Governance, Australian National University)
Introduction & Book impetus: Professor Theo Gavrielides (Founder & Director, RJ4All International Institute)
PART I: New frontiers for research and philosophy
The first part of the book aims to push the frontiers of research and normative thinking in restorative justice. To this end, it will engage in critical analysis that will ignite new perspectives. The first chapter revisits current understandings of restorative justice by challenging its proponents and adversaries. Through classical Greek philosophy, it reestablishes the image of restorative justice as more than merely a justice notion, but as a moral compass that can guide ethical living. Using the lenses of power, the chapter makes a power connection between restorative justice and how inequality and domination can be challenged. The second chapter then moves on to present restorative justice as a research method for conducing fieldwork especially with hard-to-reach group. Making a unique contribution to the extant literature, this chapter articulates practices that can be drawn from restorative justice for conducting alternative forms of participatory research instead of traditional tools such as focus groups and interviews. The subsequent chapter revisits the notion of punishment with the intention of reconciling it with restorative justice. Using ancient Greek tragedy and contemporary legal philosophy, the chapter articulates the notion and practices of restorative justice pain, a self-inflicted voluntary form of punishment. The chapter breaks away from the polarised debate as to whether restorative justice is punishment or an alternative form of punishment. It presents a new notion that is achieved through consensual catharsis that leads to cleansing for both harmed and harming parties. The last chapter of this part of the book returns to developing better methods and concepts for evaluating restorative justice. Moving away from the “what” to the “how” to evaluate restorative justice, this chapter critically appraises methods that have been used to evaluate restorative justice practice, while providing a practical guide in conducting pilots that can capture their holistic offer.
Chapter 1: Daring to be brave: Moving beyond justice in restorative justice
Chapter 2: Introducing the restorative justice research methodology
Chapter 3: Catharsis through restorative justice pain
Chapter 4: Moving away from the “what” in restorative justice evaluation to the “how”
Part II: Restorative justice for complex cases
The second part of the book aims to challenge the practice of restorative justice by presenting empirical evidence of its successes and failures with complex crime cases. Traditionally, restorative justice has been associated with either minor offences or youth violence. This part of the book presents original data of its application with serious forms of violence that involve power imbalances. The first chapter looks at the application of restorative justice with hate violence including crimes motivated by racism, disablism, misogynism, faith, sexual orientation or agism. Subsequently, the book presents evidence of the potential of restorative justice with gender-based violence particularly in relation to returning power to the harmed parties. Risks and caveats are also exposed using real case studies from around the world. Chapter 7 then dares to take a bold step in relation to the child sexual abuses that occurred within the Catholic Church and the role of restorative justice in bringing healing. The chapter also expands its argument to capture wider institutional child sexual abuses. The final chapter of this part of the book moves away from individual offending to explore the role of restorative justice with group offending. Focus is given on street group violence with a particular emphasis on riots and civil unrest. Restorative justice case studies implemented across the world are presented as live demonstrations of risks and promises.
Chapter 5: Preventing and addressing hate violence
Chapter 6: Rebalancing power in gender-based violence
Chapter 7: Healing for institutional child sexual abuses
Chapter 8: Averting street group violence and civil unrest
Part III: Emerging forms of restorative justice
The final part of the book introduces three new forms of restorative justice that use its values and practices to achieve similar objectives but outside of the justice space. The first relates to the power and contributions of art and how restorative justice can bring new dimensions for its manifestation. Covering all forms of art such as visual (e.g. drawing, filmmaking, musical performances), literary (e.g. poetry), performing (e.g. signing, music composition, theatre) plastic (sculpture), printmaking (e.g. digital printing), this chapter presents the methodology and practices of restorative justice art and co-design for social justice and the advancement of humanity. Chapter 10 then articulates how the restorative justice principles can inform how sports can be used to prevent harm, build resilience and stronger bonds among competitors. Finally, chapter 11 introduces the concept of environmental restorative justice and how it can be embedded within governing environmental frameworks and redress environmental conflicts between the state and communities or businesses and group victims of environmental disasters.
Chapter 9: Restorative justice art
Chapter 10: Restorative justice sports
Chapter 11: Environmental restorative justice
Index.