On the ‘restorative idea’: setting boundaries, innovating and exploring the unknown

The editorial introduces and discusses the International Journal of Restorative Justice's special issue 'The evolving meaning of restorative justice: a discussion'. In fact, the special issue contains twelve texts by leading scholars and practitioners, a conversation and a series of book reviews that explore the concept, notion, boundaries, extension and possible development of the restorative 'idea'. The editorial discusses the main issues arising from the debate/discussion in the special issue and presents the guest editors' views on the topic. In particular, the two authors reflect on the notion(s) and field(s) of application of restorative justice in and outside of criminal matters, discuss the challenges for academic research and teaching arising from the expansion of the restorative idea, and look for common features of 'restorativeness' as a result of the transcultural and interdisciplinary discussion gathered in the special issue.