Meditative Reflections on Nils Christie's 'Words on Words' Through an African Lens

Froestad, J. & Shearing, C. 2013. Meditative Reflections on Nils Christie’s ‘Words on Words’ through an African Lens. Restorative Justice Journal: An International Journal, 1(1): 31-46

15 Pages Posted: 6 Dec 2015

See all articles by Jan Froestad

Jan Froestad

Bergen University College

Clifford Shearing

University of Cape Town; University of Montreal, School of Criminology; University of New South Wales; University of Toronto

Date Written: 2013

Abstract

Like so much else that comes from the pen of Nils Christie, his “Words on Words” that have inspired this special issue, and with which it begins, have, as they so often do, inspired us to engage in a meditative reflection on his words and their implications for our thinking and practice. We have sought, through these reflections on the wisdom of Christie’s words, to better understand the security governance practices we have been studying, developing and, sometimes, promoting.

In thinking about issues of security and justice we have, for some time, both together and separately, sought to use the richness and the variety of the institutions and practices that constitute governance across the African continent -- something that Bruce Baker (2008) and others like Etannibi Alemika (2009) have done so much to reveal -- to stimulate our criminological imaginations. With this in mind, we will use an African lens, and specifically a Southern African lens, as the basis for our reflections. The lens we have selected is an experiment in local capacity security governance that we have been involved in developing, and reflecting upon.

Keywords: restorative justice; Nils Christie

JEL Classification: K14; H70

Suggested Citation

Froestad, Jan and Shearing, Clifford D, Meditative Reflections on Nils Christie's 'Words on Words' Through an African Lens (2013). Froestad, J. & Shearing, C. 2013. Meditative Reflections on Nils Christie’s ‘Words on Words’ through an African Lens. Restorative Justice Journal: An International Journal, 1(1): 31-46, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2674006 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2674006

Jan Froestad

Bergen University College ( email )

P.O. Box 7030
N-5020 Bergen
Norway

Clifford D Shearing (Contact Author)

University of Cape Town ( email )

Private Bag X3
Rondebosch, Western Cape 7701
South Africa

HOME PAGE: http://www.publiclaw.uct.ac.za/pbl/staff/cshearing

University of Montreal, School of Criminology ( email )

C.P. 6128 succursale Centre-ville
Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7
Canada

University of New South Wales ( email )

Sydney
Australia

University of Toronto ( email )

Robarts Library
130 St. George Street, Room 8001
Toronto, ON M5S 1A5
Canada
416-978-3720 Ext. 234 (Phone)
416-978-4195 (Fax)

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