The world is in crisis. This is no longer a prophetic statement, but just a matter of fact. With more and more people getting radicalised and the gap between the privileged and the marginalised communities only increasing, we are in desperate need of people who can mediate the friction that is rippling throughout society. The 'Practicing Repair: Community of Practice' by Alternative Justice invites participants to sit with that discomfort — and to reimagine what justice could look like beyond blame, punishment, or isolation.

At its core, this 12-month programme from May 2026 to April 2027 in Bengaluru is a learning and practice space for those interested in restorative and transformative justice. It brings together emerging practitioners to build skills, share experiences, and collectively explore ways of responding to harm outside conventional, carceral systems. Rather than offering quick fixes, the programme leans into slowness; into the messy, often nonlinear process of working through conflict. 

What makes this initiative particularly compelling is its emphasis on community. Instead of positioning conflict as something to be resolved individually or institutionally, it treats it as relational — something that exists between people, shaped by histories, power, and context. Participants are encouraged to stay with difficult emotions, to listen deeply, and to practice accountability in ways that prioritise healing over punishment.

This approach draws from the broader framework of restorative justice, which centres on repairing harm by bringing together those affected — creating space for dialogue, responsibility, and collective resolution. But Practicing Repair goes a step further. It is not just about responding to harm after it occurs; it is about building the skills, language, and emotional capacity to navigate conflict differently in the first place.

The programme exists within a wider set of offerings by Alternative Justice, including one-on-one conflict support and workshops that help individuals and groups move through tension and breakdowns in trust. Across all of these, the goal remains consistent: to create spaces where people can confront harm without defaulting to punishment, and instead move towards connection and accountability. 

The programme is for anybody who engages in conflict support, from people who work in grassroots communities or professionals who help mediate difficult conversations, this practice is for people who want to make a change in how conflict is resolved in our society.

There is also something political about this work. In choosing to centre repair, the programme challenges deeply ingrained ideas about justice, that equate resolution with retribution. Instead, it positions itself to ask and wonder what if justice could be about restoration and if communities could hold conflict without fracturing under it? 

Right now, public discourse often feels polarised and punitive but Practicing Repair offers a different vocabulary that is more intentional, and rooted in care. It doesn’t promise easy answers or quick fixes but it does offer something perhaps more valuable: the possibility of opening up our world to the kinds of resolutions we all need. 

The last date to apply for 'Practicing Repair: Community of Practice' is March 25th. Find out more about the practice on their website here.

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