Doctoral Education as “Doing With”: A Restorative Approach to Qualitative Research Training

Higher education research on restorative practice tends to focus on its potential for conflict resolution. However, the restorative approach prioritizes community building, which happens not in a student misconduct hearing but in everyday interactions. Little research exists on the use of restorative practice to build trust and relationships among students in the higher education classroom, especially in doctoral coursework. Restorative justice concepts—specifically, the relational teaching concept of “doing with”—can help Higher Ed pedagogues encourage student voice, co-construct the learning space, and resist the competitive nature of traditional academia. At the doctoral stage, where students are training to be independent scholars, traditional academic methods can breed competitiveness, isolation, insecurity, and conflict-avoidance. By contrast, a restorative approach can support the social, self-care, and collaborative skills necessary for cultivating inquisitive, mentally healthy scholars. Through a combination of restorative practice, mindfulness, and collaborative activities, I foster a space in which my qualitative methods doctoral students practice learning with their fellow scholars, honoring their own intuition, and repairing harm when it occurs. This chapter outlines my approach, the challenges I face, and areas of further inquiry.