​Questions from The Little Book of Race and Restorative Justice

Ubuntu (Zulu pronunciation: [ùɓúntʼù])[1] is a Nguni Bantu term meaning "humanity." It is often translated as "I am because we are," or "humanity towards others," or in Xhosa, "umntu ngumntu ngabantu" but is often used in a more philosophical sense to mean "the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_philosophy).
 
The concept of restorative justice is the bringing of people together to address the wrongdoing and attempt to heal the harm. “While often mistakenly considered only a reactive response to harm, restorative justice is also a proactive relational strategy to create a culture of connectivity where all members of a community thrive and feel valued” (Davis, Fania E., 2019, pg. 25).
 
Read Chapter 3 of The Little Book of Race and Restorative Justice by Fania E. Davis.
​Then, consider these questions.

1. What did you learn from this chapter about systemic racism in the United States? How does structural, institutional, and individual racism intersect?
2. What is the difference between explicit racism and implicit racism? How have you seen yourself being implicit in your biases?
3. How can racial justice and restorative justice work together?
4. Do you think restorative justice could be a tool in helping racial reconciliation? If so, how? If not, why not?
5. One tool used in restorative justice is the talking circle. Have you ever heard of or used this concept? Do you think it could be used as a tool for racial reconciliation? If so, how? If not, why not?

 
“Within a talking circle, all members are equal and each one belongs to the circle, which itself represents the interconnectedness of its members and the cycles of life. The talking circle symbolizes a sacred space created where all who come, come to listen and respect the views of all others in the circle. A stick, stone, or feather (which symbolizes connectedness to the land) can be used to facilitate the circle. Whoever is holding the object has the right to speak and the others have the responsibility to listen” (https://facilitatoru.com/facilitation/how-to-use-talking-circles-for-deep-communication/).

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The Little Book of Race and Restorative Justice: / Chapter 3