Negotiation and Conflict Management Research Restorative Justice in the Classroom: Necessary Roles of Cooperative Context, Constructive Conflict, and Civic Values David W. Johnson and Roger T. Johnson Cooperative Learning Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, U.S.A. Keywords Abstract justice, restorative justice, cooperation, conflict resolution, To ensure that restorative justice is effective, a coopera- civic values, negotiation, tive context must be developed, future conflicts must be controversy. managed constructively, and relevant parties need to adopt civic values. The theory underlying the creation of Correspondence a cooperative context is social interdependence theory. David W. Johnson, Cooperative Goal interdependence may be positive (i.e., cooperative) Learning Center, University of Minnesota, 60 Peik Hall, or negative (i.e., competitive). Creating a cooperative Minneapolis, MN 55435, U.S.A.; context will both help prevent destructively managed con- e-mail:
[email protected]. flicts and help create positive relationships. The long-term maintenance of a cooperative context depends on resolv- ing conflicts constructively. Individuals need to learn how to resolve conflicts of interests through integrative negoti- ation and peer mediation. Individuals also need to learn how to resolve intellectual disagreements through the constructive controversy procedure. Intellectual disagree- ments are inherent in all decision making. Finally, engag- ing in cooperative efforts and resolving conflicts constructively inculcates civic values. It is the combina- tion of cooperative experiences, constructive conflict resolution, and civic values that most effectively ensures that all relevant parties can redress past wrongs and reconcile with each other. Injustice, the violation of another’s rights, seems to occur continuously at all levels of human interaction.