What do we do now?
In a time fraught with political strife and armed conflict, how can we reframe, heal, and continue to live in the midst of destruction, chaos, and loss? We seem to have forgotten that we are all human beings. Where is our empathy? How do we reconcile? How do we survive? In an effort to inspire people embroiled in conflict (all of us), to meet and create dialogue across differences for the sake of resolving heartbreak, damage and personal or cultural loss.
Australian authors, David B. Moore and Alikki Vernon, writers of Setting Relations Right in Restorative Practice, have provided the backgrounds and the methods for humane ways to make peace. They will share knowledge on the possibilities occasioned by people seeking repair and resolution.
The audience and poets will participate with Moore and Vernon to consider pathways out of the impasses that inhibit our creativity as humans.
Restorative practice uses deliberative decision-making processes to:
- respond to harm with healing in justice system programs;
- manage relationships in educational, workplace, and other communities; &
- link individual healing with institutional reform in redress schemes.
Dr David Moore and Dr Alikki Vernon are Australian ‘pracademics’, who remain actively engaged with fellow educators and researchers while working as facilitators in each of these applications.
In their 2024 book Setting Relations Right in Restorative Practice, they explain how:
- restorative processes support people to learn, heal, and work together to improve their circumstances;
- techniques from restorative practice can also assist citizens’ assemblies to develop socially acceptable and appropriately complex policies for government.
The reforming potential of restorative practice is great. The need for further restorative reform urgent. Practical skills are essential for that reform.
Dr Moore and Dr Vernon will describe:
- core skills for facilitating different restorative processes;
- programs that apply these skills, to work with people to set relations right.
“A unique and inordinately-important book.”
David B Moore is an independent consultant and academic, supporting individuals to communicate constructively and organisations to change adaptively. David was involved in pioneering restorative reforms in Australia, North America, the UK, and Norway. He was a founding member of the Australian Association for Restorative Justice. He is currently a principal external advisor to redress schemes and regional service reform projects.
Alikki Vernon teaches and facilitates restorative practice in government, non-government, and community organisations. As an academic, she coordinated innovative negotiation and conflict management courses, emphasising practice skills. She provides expertise for restorative programs that address complex matters in justice, health, other workplaces, and regional communities, and convenes a national community of practice for practitioners.
Submit to our Chaos/Crises/ Conflict anthology
We invite poets to contribute a poem on these themes to our upcoming anthology. The submission deadline is March 9, 2025.
Book Reviews and Praise
“After a few decades of ample glow yet lagging go in the restorative justice movement, Moore and Vernon offer up a unique and much-needed way forward to fulfil the promise of restorative justice and practices. The book will help many of us already in the field to course-correct, but will surely also help launch new efforts.”
– Lauren Abramson, PhD, Founder, Baltimore Community Conferencing Center (now Restorative Response Baltimore)
“My ancestors experienced life on Aboriginal reserves and government policies which included the forced removal of children who grew up in institutions without the love of and guidance of family. Harsh conditions caused intergenerational trauma and negative social and emotional wellbeing. As Executive Director of our country’s first independent Aboriginal Boarding College, I have experienced firsthand the effectiveness of restorative practices…Working with David and Alikki on this project is demonstrating how we can walk together, embed Aboriginal ways of knowing, doing, and being into evidence-based interventions, and bring about great change.’
Dr Lois Peeler AM, Yorta Yorta and Wurundjeri Elder, co-founder of Worawa Aboriginal College, and National, and Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) 2022 Female Elder of the Year