Critical Restorative Justice [Paperback]

Theories and practices of justice do not meet the socio-political challenges of our times. For those theorists attempting to develop an alternative to the criminal justice system, restorative justice has provided an alternative horizon. The restorative justice approach involves meeting people, understanding and recognising their vulnerability through participatory and deliberative forums and practices. The aim of this collection is to bridge the distance between restorative justice and the critical theory tradition. It, on the one hand, takes into account the limits of restorative justice as they have been articulated, or can be articulated through critical social theory, and on the other hand emphasises the ground-breaking potential that restorative justice can bring to this tradition as a way to address crimes, conflicts and injustices, and to pursue justice.

Ivo Aertsen is Professor of Criminology at the University of Leuven.
Brunilda Pali is Researcher at the Leuven Institute of Criminology at the University of Leuven.

Introduction: Restorative Justice and Critical Social Theory
Brunilda Pali and Ivo Aertsen

Part I: Bridging the Theoretical Gap and Sharpening the Critical Edge
1. Is a Critical Model of Restorative Justice Possible? A Penal Abolitionist Approach
Daniel Achutti
2. Deconstructing Empowerment in Restorative Justice
Daniela Bol?var
3. Restorative Justice and the Decision-making Process: Beyond Deliberative Democracy?
Raffaella da Porciuncula Pallamolla
4. Doing Restorative Justice 'Otherwise': Decolonising Practices in the Global South
Harry Blagg
5. Outlining a Historical and Critical Ontology of Restorative Justice
Giuseppe Maglione
6. Restorative Justice is Not a Panacea Against All Social Evils
Lode Walgrave
7. Restorative Justice, Procedural Justice and Care
Josep Tamarit Sumalla

Part II: Applying Analytical Toolƒ¸