Restorative justice and confucianism in Hong Kong

This thesis is a study of victim-offender mediation meetings in two non-government organisations in Hong Kong – Methodist Centre and Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service – that the author conducted between January 2015 and February 2016 for the purpose of a doctorate. 22 social workers from Methodist Centre (Project Concord) and Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service (Hong Kong Youth Enhancement Scheme) have been interviewed. The prime aim of the study was to understand in what way and what sense Confucianism, Confucian relational ethics and filial piety affect the attitude of social workers towards restorative justice and the implementation of restorative justice in Hong Kong. Social workers as mediators play a vital role in victim-offender mediation meetings because they actualise and interpret restorative justice principles. The social workers' understandings of Confucianism and restorative justice are fundamental to the implementation of restorative justice in Hong Kong. The focus of this study is an interpretation of: the lived experiences of social workers and their understanding of Confucianism and its core values; the role of macro-community members; the role of parents as micro-community members; and the role of social workers as mediators in victim-offender mediations.
The aim and focus of the study translate into three central research questions:
(1) How do social workers in Hong Kong understand Confucianism in general, and hierarchical social order, ‘face’, shame, and filial piety in particular?
(2) From the perceptions of social workers in Hong Kong, under the influence of Confucianism, who are the macro-community members and what is the role of parents as micro-community members in victim-offender mediation?
(3) How do Confucian relational ethics, filial piety, shame and Confucianism influence the attitudes of social workers as mediators in relation to the philosophy and practice of restorative justice in victim-offender mediation?