Martin Luther King en de kracht van herstel: Een droom van sociale veiligheid op de universiteit

This article, based on the author’s speech at the Martin Luther King Lecture at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, explores how restorative justice can help transform higher education into safer, more inclusive communities. It critiques traditional university complaint procedures as overly legalistic, individualized, and blind to broader institutional harm. In contrast, restorative practices emphasize dialogue, shared responsibility, and future change. A powerful story from a university abroad shows how restorative circles allowed survivors of sexual misconduct to share experiences, receive acknowledgment, and create institutional accountability. International examples from New Zealand, Australia, the U.S., and the U.K. show improved learning outcomes, fewer suspensions, and stronger belonging. Creating restorative cultures requires both grassroots initiatives like student circles, and policy-level support through codes of conduct and national frameworks. The article calls on Dutch universities to adopt restorative approaches as a path toward learning, healing, and responsibility.