Interdisciplinary Symposium on Restorative Justice
For the first time, the inaugural Interdisciplinary Symposium on Restorative Justice is hosted at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University, held on 25th-26th March 2024. Witness the convergence of an esteemed international network of scholars in a dynamic exploration of Restorative Justice.
Distinguished scholars from institutions including the University of Oxford, Leuven University, University of Edinburgh, University of Warwick, University of Nottingham, University of Birmingham, Edinburgh Napier University, University of Sheffield, Ulster University, and Northumbria University alongside experts from China, Peking University, Macau University, Beijing Normal University and more, attended this symposium.
Professor Sir Malcolm Evans, Principal of Regent’s Park College and former Chair of UN subcommittee for the prevention of torture, warmly welcomed participants, setting the stage for engaging discourse.
Dr Shidong Wang, Director of Oxford Prospects and Global Development Institute, addressed the conference with a reflective speech, highlighting the project's evolution over the past four years.
Dr Myra Blyth, the project's Convenor, initiated the discussion of the conference, setting the tone for an intellectually stimulating exchange.
Against the backdrop of post-Covid global tensions, this symposium serves as a pivotal platform for fostering international and intercultural dialogue. Delve into discussions on the theory and practice of restorative justice in European and Chinese contexts, navigating the complexities of trust and collaboration in fractured times.
Explore the rich historical roots of restorative approaches, tracing back to ancient thoughts like those of Confucius. Today, these approaches are experiencing a global resurgence, permeating legal, educational, and social systems across over forty countries.
Central to the symposium's focus is the examination of restorative approaches to addressing crime and wrongdoing. Through collaborative methodologies, attendees engaged in thought-provoking dialogue, questioning the global applicability and dynamic equivalence of restorative justice principles between China and Europe.
Building upon the Europe-China restorative justice dialogues conducted during the pandemic, this symposium aims to elucidate and develop key themes, fostering clarity and understanding while promoting the exchange of best practices.
The outcome of the symposium is that we hope to see the publication around mid to late 2025.
