Description
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Restorative justice (RJ) has gained global attention as an alternative approach to crime and punishment, emphasising repair, reconciliation, and community engagement over retribution. This review examines how RJ, when coupled with decolonialthinking, can transform criminology education in Africa.
Design/Methodology/Approach: Drawing on the literature, the study analysed the epistemological and pedagogical potential of RJ for decolonising criminology curricula, with a focus on African indigenous knowledge systems, ethical relationality, and community-based justice practices.
Findings: The findings indicate that RJ aligns closely with African philosophies, such as Ubuntu, offering a relational and moral framework that challenges the Eurocentric, punitive paradigms that dominate higher education. However, the review also identifies significant gaps, including tokenistic inclusion of indigenous knowledge, superficial adoption of restorative principles, and institutional constraints that limit transformative pedagogy.
Originality/Values: The paper argues that embedding RJ in criminology education requires curricular reform, experiential and dialogical teaching methods, and institutional commitment to epistemic plurality. By operationalising RJ as both a philosophical and pedagogical tool, African criminology education can foster critical consciousness, ethical engagement, and the development of socially responsive graduates. The study concludes that RJ provides a viable pathway for decolonising criminology education, bridging theory, pedagogy, and community engagement to create a justice-oriented, relational, and contextually relevant learning environment.
Keywords: Restorative justice, decolonial pedagogy, criminology education, Ubuntu, African indigenous knowledge, curriculum reform, ethical learning
