Restorative Justice and Practice: Emergence of a Social Movement

Restorative Justice and Practice: Emergence of a Social Movement is a free online course offered by Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. The course can be beneficial for anyone who wishes to work toward making the world more just, peaceful and compassionate. Specifically, the class is ideal for professionals, educators, social workers, community activists, conflict arbitrators and policymakers. There are no educational prerequisites or work experience requirements for this introductory course.

Broken into six modules, Restorative Justice and Practice: Emergence of a Social Movement lasts for six weeks. Students will need to spend 2 to 5 hours on each module, watching videos and reading supplemental articles and case studies. Assignments are given with each module. Those who receive passing grades on all assignments will receive a passing grade for the course. A verified certificate of completion is available for a $49 fee.

At the start of Restorative Justice and Practice: Emergence of a Social Movement, students will learn just what restorative justice is and why it is important in today’s criminal justice system. The class traces the evolution and spread of social justice and shares the data that suggests that it is beneficial. Then, the course examines how New Zealand has successfully incorporated restoration into the education, welfare and criminal justice systems. Finally, the class examines how restorative justice has grown beyond the justice system to become a global social movement.