Mikhail Lyubansky
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Psychology, Faculty Member
- Psychology, Race and Ethnicity, Ethnic Studies, Cultural Psychology, Nationalism, Colonialism, and 15 moreIdentity (Culture), Self and Identity, Post-Colonialism, Identity politics, Racism, Black Studies Or African American Studies, Social Class, Blackness, Popular Culture, Restorative Justice, Restorative Justice: Practice and Theory, School effectiveness and school improvement, School Bullying, School, and High Schooledit
- My current research and writing interests focus primarily on restorative justice, especially in the context of racial... moreMy current research and writing interests focus primarily on restorative justice, especially in the context of racialized conflict. I also have a long-standing interest in identity and beliefs about race, ethnicity, immigration, and nationalism. Apart from academic writing, I'm a regular contributor to edited volumes on popular culture, including Harry Potter and several superhero and vampire anthologies. I am a co-editor of Toward a Socially Responsible Psychology for a Global Era, published in 2014, and, in 1996, co-authored a book on the Russian-Jewish diaspora: Building a Diaspora: Russian Jews in Israel, Germany, and the United States. Lastly, I blog about race and justice for Psychology Today: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/between-the-linesedit
This book explores the concept of “socially-responsible psychology in a global age” and how it might be used to organize, integrate and bring enhanced focus a field that has the potential to contribute to solutions to the world’s most... more
This book explores the concept of “socially-responsible psychology in a global age” and how it might be used to organize, integrate and bring enhanced focus a field that has the potential to contribute to solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. In this volume, the editors explore the central and defining features of socially-responsible psychology, challenges that this work would face, and the mechanisms and processes by which psychological work could be synergistically integrated with the work of other disciplines. For this purpose, the volume also examines a variety of factors currently that limit psychology in carrying out this goal.
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Many school districts are re-examining their discipline policies and seeking to adopt more restorative responses to violations of school rules and norms, sometimes as a result of state mandates. These experiments have often resulted in... more
Many school districts are re-examining their discipline policies and seeking to adopt more restorative responses to violations of school rules and norms, sometimes as a result of state mandates. These experiments have often resulted in significant decreases in punitive discipline metrics but also revealed a variety of challenges associated with implementation and sustainability. In my work as a restorative justice consultant, my colleagues and I often see several common issues that lead to significant backsliding or even deterioration of an established restorative system. Finding creative solutions to these issues is key to building sustainable restorative justice systems that truly work for all stakeholders.
Research Interests: Restorative Justice, School Climate, Restorative Justice in Schools, Discipline Problems in School, Restorative Practices, and 5 moreSchool Discipline, School Discipline Policies, Restorative Justice: Practice and Theory, School Climate(Pupil and Teacher Discipline), and effectiveness of school discipline
Dominic’s big idea is that conflict – any conflict – is neither undesirable nor dangerous, that the danger lies not in conflict itself but in ignoring or attempting to repress it. Thus, Dominic argues, it makes sense to approach conflict... more
Dominic’s big idea is that conflict – any conflict – is neither undesirable nor dangerous, that the danger lies not in conflict itself but in ignoring or attempting to repress it. Thus, Dominic argues, it makes sense to approach conflict through dialogue, rather than through punishment or judgment. The idea is not his, as he would be the first to acknowledge. To the contrary, restorative justice has been practiced in many places across the world, not only recently but far, far back in history. And yet, Dominic’s approach is uniquely his. For more than 20 years, he’s been imagining, developing, and adapting the Restorative Circle (RC) process by experimenting with every possible detail. The result is not so much a conclusion about what works and what doesn’t as a sense of what is essential and what is flexible.
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Despite important overlapping interests, until recently, few racial justice advocates have embraced restorative justice (RJ), and the RJ community has largely failed to explicitly address race. Suggesting a convergence of the two... more
Despite important overlapping interests, until recently, few racial justice advocates have embraced restorative justice (RJ), and the RJ community has largely failed to explicitly address race. Suggesting a convergence of the two movements, this essay presents an overview of RJ principles, history, and methods. We review the evidence for racial bias in criminal justice and school discipline and then note emerging restorative initiatives to ameliorate historical and contemporary racial inequities. We conclude by touching on gaps and challenges characterizing research and applied work in the field while suggesting strategies to move toward a racially-conscious restorative movement as both an effective alternative to state-imposed punishment and a powerful force for racial justice.
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Objective: Restorative justice (RJ) was introduced into school systems as an alternative to ineffective zero tolerance policies as another way of dealing with a disciplinary infractions. While school-based RJ has been gaining popularity... more
Objective: Restorative justice (RJ) was introduced into school systems as an alternative to ineffective zero tolerance policies as another way of dealing with a disciplinary infractions. While school-based RJ has been gaining popularity within the US, empirical research has been lacking. One RJ approach is Restorative Circles (RC), which provide a space for those involved in conflict to repair harm through a facilitated dialogue process. Given the minimal research, the aim of the present study was to examine student and staff experiences and outcomes after participating in an RC program. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 high school students and 25 staff and administrators involved in some capacity with the RC program at their school. All participants were from a high school in a large urban center in the Southeast US. Results: As part of a larger study a theoretical model was developed using Grounded Theory Methodology. The emergent model included the following constructs: culture, barriers, internal motivation, engagement with RC and outcomes. Only outcomes will be discussed in the current study. Both negative and positive outcomes emerged from the interview data. For negative outcomes, frustration and disappointment were key themes. For positive outcomes ownership of the process, interrupting the school to prison pipeline, improved relationships, prevention of destructive ways of engaging conflict, meaningful dialogue and academic and social achievements were key themes. Conclusions: This study provides researchers and practitioners with a theoretical framework to use as a foundation to better understand how individuals experience RC. Keywords: Conflict Resolution, Restorative Circles, At-Risk Youth, School-based research, Adolescents
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Two cities. Two people of color fatally shot by those charged with security and law enforcement. Two communities torn apart across racial lines. One city reacts conventionally with criminal charges and court proceedings. The other... more
Two cities. Two people of color fatally shot by those charged with security and law enforcement. Two communities torn apart across racial lines. One city reacts conventionally with criminal charges and court proceedings. The other similarly engages the legal system but additionally engages in a Restorative Circle, a restorative process designed to create conditions for mutual understanding and repair of harm. In this article, the case of Trayvon Martin is juxtaposed with a less well-known case in Seattle involving the death of Native American woodcarver, John T. Williams. The two cases are summarized and examined in terms of their racial dynamics and the subsequent differential impact of the restorative response on the Seattle community.
Research Interests: Criminal Law, Criminal Justice, Comparative Law, Terrorism, Legal Profession, and 21 moreRace and Racism, International Criminal Law, Juvenile Justice, Race and Ethnicity, Organized Crime, Transitional Justice, Restorative Justice, Political Prisoners, Crime Prevention, Amnesties, Transnational Crime, Drugs, Crime, Corruption, Traffic, International Crimes, Global Crime, Truth Recovery, Ex Combatants, Measures of Prevention, and Trafficking Human Beings
At the turn of the twentieth century, WEB DuBois observed that “the problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color line.” More than 100 years later, and more than 40 years after the Civil Rights Movement, his words continue... more
At the turn of the twentieth century, WEB DuBois observed that “the problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color line.” More than 100 years later, and more than 40 years after the Civil Rights Movement, his words continue to ring true. The quality of our education, the neighborhoods in which we live, the wages we are paid (even after controlling for amount of education), and how we are treated by educational, health, and legal systems continue to be significantly impacted by race. The group differences are striking. White Americans are more than 50 percent more likely to earn a four-year college degree than black Americans who, in turn, are three times (300 percent) more likely to live under the poverty line. The incarceration data are even more disturbing. In some US states, black men are incarcerated on drug charges at rates 20 to 50 times greater than white men, despite considerable empirical …
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This study revisits Du Bois’s concept of double consciousness by examining the relationship between racial and mainstream acculturation and African American beliefs about their racial and national groups. Surveys completed by 100... more
This study revisits Du Bois’s concept of double consciousness by examining the relationship between racial and mainstream acculturation and African American beliefs about their racial and national groups. Surveys completed by 100 prospective Black jurors at a municipal courthouse approximately 6 months after 9/11 revealed that they perceived their racial group as more unjustly treated and more helpless than their national group but believed their national group was more vulnerable and more in need of maintaining a distrustful posture than their racial group. In addition, beliefs about racial group vulnerability, unjust treatment, and superiority were stronger for those respondents more deeply immersed in Black culture, whereas engagement with mainstream culture was unrelated to the strength of these convictions. In contrast, both racial and mainstream acculturation tended to predict beliefs about the American national group in the domains of vulnerability, injustice, distrust, and superiority.
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This study documents the experiences and identities of undocumented Spanish-speaking migrants in Georgia vis-à-vis their counterparts who have legal status. Structured interviews were used to collect data from 127 adults (49 percent... more
This study documents the experiences and identities of undocumented Spanish-speaking migrants in Georgia
vis-à-vis their counterparts who have legal status. Structured interviews were used to collect data from 127 adults (49 percent undocumented at their time of arrival and 38
percent undocumented at the time of data collection) regarding their experience of discrimination, utilization of services, identity preferences, mental health, and beliefs in five domains: vulnerability, injustice, distrust, superiority, and helplessness. Significant immigration status differences emerged for education, income, utilization of some city services, and a few of the belief scales. However, the documented and undocumented samples were more similar than different.
vis-à-vis their counterparts who have legal status. Structured interviews were used to collect data from 127 adults (49 percent undocumented at their time of arrival and 38
percent undocumented at the time of data collection) regarding their experience of discrimination, utilization of services, identity preferences, mental health, and beliefs in five domains: vulnerability, injustice, distrust, superiority, and helplessness. Significant immigration status differences emerged for education, income, utilization of some city services, and a few of the belief scales. However, the documented and undocumented samples were more similar than different.
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Research Interests: Psychology, Social Work, Research Design, Social Identity, Mental Health, and 27 moreOrganizational Culture, Treatment, Social Norms, Public Health, Adolescent, Social Identification, Social Class, Organizational structure, Social identity theory, Social organization, Humans, Child, Female, Male, Social Services, Infant, Social Role, Social Environment, IS success, Social Values, Adult, Social hierarchy, Social Group, Social Organization, Social Norm, Psychology Social, and Homeless Persons
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Societal factors influence the types of problems children of African descent exhibit and the steps adults take to ameliorate them. Cross-national research on children of African descent living in different nations can identify the... more
Societal factors influence the types of problems children of African descent exhibit and the steps adults take to ameliorate them. Cross-national research on children of African descent living in different nations can identify the societal issues associated with problems these children present, but few specifically focus on children of African descent. This article addresses these issues by surveying presenting problems in clinic records of 2,078 children of African descent in the United States and Jamaica. Recorders coded and categorized problems according to eight Child Behavior Checklist syndromes and internalizing (e.g., shyness) and externalizing (e.g., fighting) problems. ANCOVAs revealed significantly more problems for African American than Jamaican youth but the converse was true for severe problems. The findings suggest the need for further studies that test whether lower parental thresholds, a U.S. society that encourages more family openness, widely available treatment services within the United States, and stress associated with minority group membership may cause African American parents to report more child problems than Jamaican parents.
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Women from different nations with different customs may express varying levels of psychological distress and present problems in forms their societies accept. We compared women from Korea and Jamaica where women's roles and behaviour... more
Women from different nations with different customs may express varying levels of psychological distress and present problems in forms their societies accept. We compared women from Korea and Jamaica where women's roles and behaviour differ, and may influence the types of symptoms they display. Korean culture supports women's dependence, submissiveness, and obedience toward male partners and discourages women from expressing feelings, a custom that causes women distress which is usually expressed as anxiety related disorders. Jamaican women comprise most Jamaica's work force and are described as independent, outwardly expressive, and unlike Korean women may externalize their psychological distress. We tested these hypotheses using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), a multidimensional psychopathology measure, to survey Korean (N= 214) and Jamaican women (N= 282). Using age and nationality as predictors and total score and the nine BSI scales as criterion variables considered separately, multiple regression analyses reveal significantly higher scores on total problems and on all the paranoid scales scores on total problems and on all the paranoid scale scores for Korean than for Jamaica women. Large effect on the Somatization and Obsessive Complusive scales and a medium effect on the anxiety scale indicate that while Korean women generally expressed much more distress than Jamaica women, they are particularly vulnerable for the development of anxiety related problems (AU)
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Forty years later, Malcolm X's observation still speaks to the ubiquity of the US racial hierarchy and the inter-nalization of the hierarchy is part of the acculturation process for all immigrant groups. Im-migrants are confronted... more
Forty years later, Malcolm X's observation still speaks to the ubiquity of the US racial hierarchy and the inter-nalization of the hierarchy is part of the acculturation process for all immigrant groups. Im-migrants are confronted with institu-tional racism and the corresponding ...
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In the tradition of critical pedagogy, which invites students to critique and challenge systems of power and oppression, this chapter describes the first author’s attempt to develop a pedagogy based on restorative justice principles. The... more
In the tradition of critical pedagogy, which invites students to critique and challenge systems of power and oppression, this chapter describes the first author’s attempt to develop a pedagogy based on restorative justice principles. The integration of restorative principles into pedagogy (rather than just course content) is posited to create a more congruent learning environment and give students an opportunity to experience and navigate the principles first-hand. The authors write in the tradition of auto-hermeneutics, a phenomenological approach to inquiry that focuses on an individual’s lived experiences. As such, rather than writing in a single voice, they intentionally preserve the distinct perspectives of both individual students and the instructor in an upper-level, undergraduate restorative justice course at a state university. Because there is no definitive list, ten restorative principles (e.g., using “power with” rather than “power over”, considering conflicts as belonging to the community) are identified and then described in regard to how they are operationalized and engaged in the classroom from both the instructor’s and students’ points of view. These restorative principles, like critical pedagogy, are designed to be subversive to established systems and protocols and, like peace psychology, are intended to provide a viable alternative to the structural and institutional violence that characterizes many aspects of higher education.
Research Interests: Peace and Conflict Studies, Teacher Education, Higher Education, Critical Pedagogy, Conflict, and 14 morePaulo Freire, Restorative Justice, Pedagogy, Conflict Resolution, Social Pedagogy, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Restorative Justice in Schools, Restorative Practices, Critical Theory/Pedagogy, Peace and Conflicts Studies, Conflict and Conflict Resolution, Paulo Freire, Critical Pedagogy, Cultural Studies, Johan Galtung, and Restorative Justice: Practice and Theory
Marvel’s Black Panther is a story written and directed by black men, about black characters in a fictional black land. But there is more to this film, racially speaking, than the racial makeup of its characters and creative team. The... more
Marvel’s Black Panther is a story written and directed by black men, about black characters in a
fictional black land. But there is more to this film, racially speaking, than the racial makeup of its
characters and creative team. The Black Panther characters show how various types of blackness and whiteness function in our own world. We start by looking at the allegorical meaning of the different black and white characters in the film. Then we use the most widely-studied racial identity models in the psychological literature to examine the racial identities of T’Challa and Erik Killmonger, against the backdrop of historical racial oppression and current-day racial dynamics. The essay concludes with some comparisons to prominent real-world figures and a discussion of the implications of these identities, both in the Marvel Universe and our own.
fictional black land. But there is more to this film, racially speaking, than the racial makeup of its
characters and creative team. The Black Panther characters show how various types of blackness and whiteness function in our own world. We start by looking at the allegorical meaning of the different black and white characters in the film. Then we use the most widely-studied racial identity models in the psychological literature to examine the racial identities of T’Challa and Erik Killmonger, against the backdrop of historical racial oppression and current-day racial dynamics. The essay concludes with some comparisons to prominent real-world figures and a discussion of the implications of these identities, both in the Marvel Universe and our own.
Research Interests: Social Psychology, Critical Race Studies, Race and Racism, Comics Studies, Comic Book Studies, and 14 moreCritical Race Theory, Race and Ethnicity, Restorative Justice, Justice, Comic book films, Comics and Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Comic books, Marvel Comics, Superhero Studies, Black Panther, Superhero Movies, Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Wakanda
Any discussion relating to the role and potential of restorative justice (in this case, as an approach to decrease racial disparities in school discipline and criminal justice) must start with the question: Which restorative justice? A... more
Any discussion relating to the role and potential of restorative justice (in this case, as an approach to decrease racial disparities in school discipline and criminal justice) must start with the question: Which restorative justice? A movement this large and this diverse can be divided and categorized in many different ways. To that end, I see three types of restorative justice vying for influence in the U.S. landscape: (i) a gentler kinder method of gaining compliance from others, (ii) a set of skills and techniques that individuals can learn to deploy to work through interpersonal conflicts, and (iii) a systemic response designed to challenge existing power hierarchies and provide a more democratic, community‐owned way of responding to conflicts and acts of injustice. Within the first two types, there is also a tension between those who see their restorative efforts as part of an internal set of values and principles that they carry with them from one context to another and those who see restorative justice as a professional role that is useful in a particular context (e.g. a school) and limited to that context in practice. From my perspective, all of these restorative justice conceptualizations have value, but only the third has the potential to contribute to a more racially equitable society.
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As data against the utility of exclusionary school discipline mounts, school districts are increasingly turning toward restorative justice as an alternative response to conflicts and rule violations. In this chapter, the author’s place... more
As data against the utility of exclusionary school discipline mounts, school districts are increasingly turning toward restorative justice as an alternative response to conflicts and rule violations. In this chapter, the author’s place this recent restorative movement into a broader historical context, describe the principles that guide the movement, and make visible the many challenges of school implementation, including getting buy-in, building the necessary infrastructure, and navigating the various power dynamics likely to be present along the way. The chapter concludes with “realistic expectations” based on both the author’s work with schools and the relevant literature examining the implementation process.
Research Interests: Restorative Justice, School To Prison Pipeline, Restorative Justice in Schools, Discipline Problems in School, Restorative Practices, and 4 moreSchool Discipline, Restorative Justice: Practice and Theory, Racial Disproportionality In School Discipline, and School Climate(Pupil and Teacher Discipline)
Research Interests: Critical Pedagogy, Race and Ethnicity, Restorative Justice, Ethnic and Racial Studies, Critical Race Theory and Whiteness theory, and 6 moreCritical Whiteness Studies, Racial Justice, Whiteness, Restorative Practices, Cultural Studies, Theories of Racism, Critical Whiteness Theory, and Restorative Justice: Practice and Theory
Power dynamics play an important and often unacknowledged role in restorative processes. At the societal level, variables such as race, gender, age, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status interact to create explicit and implicit... more
Power dynamics play an important and often unacknowledged role in restorative processes. At the societal level, variables such as race, gender, age, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status interact to create explicit and implicit biases towards members of some groups. At the restorative system level, unquestioned paradigms around the roles of victims, offenders, gatekeepers, and facilitators may contribute to inequitable access and procedures. Finally, at the restorative process level, facilitation and practices that limit participation and ownership may contribute to participant disempowerment. When power dynamics within these three levels interact and influence each other, they result in less restorative processes and outcomes for all. The chapter concludes with recommended strategies to counteract these power dynamics and increase the field’s alignment with its values of power-sharing, ownership, choice, and voice. These recommendations include: cultural competence education for facilitators, the standardization of the RJ process in relation to the victim-offender role, the elimination of RJ gatekeepers, the inclusion of community members and youth as facilitators and process co-creators, and attention to facilitation that maximally empowers participants to do their own restorative work.
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Research Interests: Race and Racism, Race and Ethnicity, Vampire Literature, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gothic Fiction and the horror film, and 7 moreContemporary Fiction, Vampire Studies, Vampires, Vampires in Film and Literature, Vampires in popular culture and Jungian psychology, Gothic, female Gothic, Gothic in literature, the Gothic as a subculture, the fantastic, horror, the vampire figure in literature and film, the femme fatale, feminist readings of vampire narratives, and Vampires from Dracula to Twilight
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Over the past century, African Americans have made significant progress on a broad range of fronts, including life expectancy, employment and income, education, and political representation (e.g., Sears et al. 2000; Thernstrom and... more
Over the past century, African Americans have made significant progress on a broad range of fronts, including life expectancy, employment and income, education, and political representation (e.g., Sears et al. 2000; Thernstrom and Thernstrom 1999). Moreover, the rapidly growing multicultural movement (e.g., Fowers and Richardson, 1996) has signaled a new zeitgeist in terms of racial and ethnic relations. For arguably the first time in U.S. history, there is widespread recognition that none of the nation’s many racial and ethnic groups are inherently or culturally superior to any other (National Opinion Research Center, 2002a). Furthermore, the multicultural movement has successfully transplanted into the mainstream the previously radical notion that cultural diversity ought to be not merely tolerated but rather encouraged and celebrated.
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Research Interests: Russian Studies, Soviet History, Immigration, Immigration Studies, Immigration And Integration In Europe, and 7 morePost-Soviet Studies, Immigration History, Russian History, Acculturation, Culture in the Soviet Union, Migration, Multiculturalism, Acculturation, Diasporas, Children in State Care, Youth Justice, Gender and Violence, and Acculturation strategies
That the Harry Potter stories are primarily about good and evil is undeniable, and no fictional character since Darth Vader has embodied the latter quality as thoroughly as Lord Voldemort. The rapidly growing psychological literature on... more
That the Harry Potter stories are primarily about good and evil is undeniable, and no fictional character since Darth Vader has embodied the latter quality as thoroughly as Lord Voldemort. The rapidly growing psychological literature on psychopathy can provide some insight into Voldemort's evil nature. But what of his followers? Are the legions of Death Eaters similarly psychologically disturbed?
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Research Interests: Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Gestalt Therapy, Gestalt Psychology, Vampire Literature, and 6 moreGothic Fiction and the horror film, Contemporary Fiction, Vampires, Vampires in Film and Literature, Gestalt Theory, and Gothic, female Gothic, Gothic in literature, the Gothic as a subculture, the fantastic, horror, the vampire figure in literature and film, the femme fatale, feminist readings of vampire narratives
At first glance, the Harry Potter universe seems to have little racial tension. There are a handful of non-White characters, including Gryffindors Lee Jordan, Dean Thomas, Angelina Johnson, and Parvati Patil, as well as Harry's... more
At first glance, the Harry Potter universe seems to have little racial tension. There are a handful of non-White characters, including Gryffindors Lee Jordan, Dean Thomas, Angelina Johnson, and Parvati Patil, as well as Harry's first romantic interest, Cho Chang. Yet, ...
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Anita Wadhwa’s Restorative justice in urban schools: disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline is an ambitious project in a small package. Though well under 200 pages, the book not only aptly articulates the problem of the school-to-prison... more
Anita Wadhwa’s Restorative justice in urban schools: disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline is an ambitious project in a small package. Though well under 200 pages, the book not only aptly articulates the problem of the school-to-prison pipeline but appropriately contextualizes it within other peculiar institutions, such as slavery, black codes, hyper-ghettos and Jim Crow.