Current Scholarship: Restorative Circles

Building a Diaspora (book)

My research interests are focused broadly on race and racial dynamics, including identity development, group relations, and beliefs about the in-group in both immigrant and minority populations (see my co-authored book on the Russian-Jewish diaspora on left).

In the past few years, I have become very interested in restorative justice, especially a restorative practice developed in Brazil called Restorative Circles. My current work is focused on supporting the development and spread of this practice in a variety of contexts (presently at the Juvenile Detention Center). More information about both current and previous projects can be viewed by selecting the appropriate link on the left.

According to Dominic Barter, who along with his associates developed the Restorative Circle process...

A Restorative Circle is a community process for supporting those in conflict. It brings together the three parties to a conflict - those who have acted, those directly impacted and the wider community - within a chosen systemic context, to dialogue as equals.

Participants invite each other and attend voluntarily. The dialogue process used is shared openly with all participants. The process ends when actions have been found that bring mutual benefit that nurtures the inherent integrity of all those involved in the conflict.

Restorative Circles are facilitated in 3 stages that arise in an approximate sequence and identify the key factors in the conflict, reach agreements on next steps, and evaluate the results. As circles form, they invite shared power, mutual understanding and self-responsibility within community.

Restorative Circles are facilitated by community members who identify themselves as impacted by the conflict at hand. They commit to serving the emergent wisdom of the participants through their willingness to offer agreed upon questions and to track the co-creation of meaning and action by those present.

Links to Learn More

  • Dominic Barter, the principle developer of Restorative Circles, will lead a five-day public learning event in Champaign, Oct. 12-16, 2011. Click here for details, including links to the registration sites.