This book was inspired by the need of post-conflict societies to
manage knowledge resources in such a way that it creates lasting
restoration of durable peaceful relationships among people. It aims to
demonstrate the challenges of the management of knowledge for
restorative justice in Africa and the principles and practices by which
these challenges can be met. To achieve this aim they applied what they
call the 'Trans-dimensional Knowledge Management Model (TDKM-M)' to
specific cases of restorative justice in South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda,
Kenya and Liberia. After an analysis of the cases studies, the author
successfully demonstrated the challenges of the management of knowledge
for restorative justice in Africa and the principles and practices by
which these challenges can be met.
The authors revealed common challenges to restorative justice such as
establishing the 'truth'; the institutionalisation of recommendations
by truth and reconciliation bodies; the handling of non-cooperative
offenders; and replacing of 'good' values' with 'bad' values as major
challenges to restorative justice. To meet these challenges, they
propose certain principles of trans-dimensional restorative justice: the
establishment of a 'trans-dimensional knowledge foundation' (not some
version of 'the truth'); leadership in the implementation of strategies
and plans; restoration or establishment of good relations among all
people (not only the ruling elites); the identification of tacit and
unseen factors that will determine successful restoration of these
relationships; and changing these tacit and unseen factors.