Restorative Justice

This course will explore the various conceptions and philosophies of restorative justice as a promising alternative to the conventional juridical model. We will outline the historical, anthropological and theological roots of the restorative paradigm by charting the evolution of theory and practice, and their critical points of intersection. The historical context, largely, is a complex milieu of competing theoretical perspectives. In order to derive a sufficiently nuanced understanding of the restorative paradigm we must critically assess both the practical efficacy and challenges of restorative justice in contrast to prevailing legal frameworks.