The institutionalisation of restorative justice in schools: a critical sensemaking account

Critical sensemaking: challenges and promises

“…In this master's thesis, Russell (2014, see also Russell and Crocker, 2016) draws on CSM to explain why, a restorative justice approach to dealing with disciplinary problems, was adopted in a particular Canadian Elementary school. He draws on CSM to analyze how 'power can shape overall formative contexts and influence the individual sensemaking processes of those involved in a change process' (Russell, 2014, p. i).…”

“…The choice made seems to have relied on the specific focus of the research. At one end of the spectrum Hilde (2013;2017) applies, what we might call, a classic approach to an understanding of how Hong Kong Chinese immigrants to Canada make sense of their identity that is mediated through a series of organizational rules that shape a sense of the immigrant, the formative context of long- As Russell (2014) suggests however, strategic research choices in relations to CSM may also be the result of attempts to understand and rationalize the different levels of analysis.…”

“…In addition to the wider review of CSM studies, we consider in more detail a further selection of studies that apply CSM in different ways. These studies include Thurlow's (2007) study of the role of language and discourse in organizational change; Hilde's (2013) examination of the sensemaking of Chinese immigrants to Canada when confronted with various policy requirements and practices; Hartt's (2013a) focus on the link between actor-networks and CSM in making sense of history; the work of Shenoy-Packer (2014) who examines the mediation of immigrants' workplace experiences and workplace aggressions in the USA; Russell's (2014) examination of how sense is made through restorative justice in a Canadian school system; and Ruel's (2018a) use of CSM as a way of weaving together a number of theoretical and methodological approaches to capture the complexity of discriminatory practices in the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).…”

“…As Russell (2014) suggests, however, strategic research choices in relations to CSM may also be the result of attempts to understand and rationalize the different levels of analysis. He goes on to ask how do CSM researchers make choices about what levels of analysis to choose and how many levels to choose.…”

“…While the influence of the past is implied in discussions of organizational rules, organizational culture and formative contexts both Russell (2014) and Hartt (2013a) raise questions about the role of history. Also Russell (2014, p. 8) asks: "How do we deal with sensemaking over time?"…”