Using Restorative Practices to Build Stronger and More Inclusive Communities

Restorative practices can serve as a proactive approach to address behavior in a way that not only repairs harm and restores relationships, but also creates stronger communities. Using a circle-style conversation to elicit our perceptions of the potential of these practices to support and advance liberatory principles, we sought to uncover the experiences of four diverse scholar-practitioners who have worked to integrate restorative practices into their work in college and university residential environments. The personal narratives revealed that a more liberatory implementation of restorative practices can be accomplished when it is executed in accordance with its core principles and used to build and maintain community, rather than simply responding to harm. Because this approach centers historically marginalized and student voices, it can be used as a framework to actively seek to dismantle larger systems of oppression. [Discussion questions prepared by Richard Manu.]