Vol 3 No 1 (2025): RESTORATIVE JOURNAL

 

Restorative Journal

The Restorative Journal, as a description for a scholarly legal journal, can be defined as a publication focused on the theory, research, and practice of restorative justice. Its purpose is to document and disseminate knowledge that supports a conflict resolution approach centered not on punishment, but on the restoration of relationships, accountability, and reconciliation.

Volume 3, Number 1

As the description for Volume 3, Number 1, the Restorative Journal will feature articles exploring the application of restorative justice principles across various contexts, including legal, social, and cultural settings. This publication aims to be a platform for academics, practitioners, and policymakers to share findings, case studies, and critical analyses that enrich the understanding of restorative justice's effectiveness.

Theme: The Application of Restorative Justice in the Resolution of Communal Land Disputes

This specific issue, Volume 3, Number 1, will address the theme "The Application of Restorative Justice in the Resolution of Communal Land Disputes."This theme is particularly relevant as disputes over tanah ulayat (communal land), which involve the communal rights and cultural identity of indigenous communities, are often not resolved effectively through a formal adversarial legal approach. Conventional court proceedings tend to produce win-lose outcomes that can damage social order and kinship ties within the community.

The Restorative Justice Approach offers a powerful alternative by focusing on:

• Dialogue and Mediation: Bringing disputing parties—whether individuals, groups, or communities—together to hear each other's perspectives, acknowledge the harm caused, and seek a just, shared solution.
• Recognition and Respect for Adat Values: Integrating local wisdom and customary values, such as musyawarah (deliberation), mufakat (consensus), and sanksi adat (customary sanctions), which often aim to restore social harmony.
• Relationship Restoration: Instead of focusing solely on determining who is right or wrong, this process seeks to mend broken relationships and ensure the sustainability of community life.

This journal will publish case studies, policy analyses, and theoretical concepts that highlight how restorative justice can be an effective instrument for the sustainable resolution of communal land disputes. It is hoped that this publication will provide new insights and encourage the adoption of a more humane and contextual approach to resolving agrarian conflicts in Indonesia.