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Constructive Conflict Guide > Civic Knowledge and Skills That We Can Use to Help Ourselves and Our Society More Constructively Handle Intractable Conflict > Stripping Away "Overlay" Problems That Make Conflicts Appear More Intractable Than They Really Are > Overview of Third-Party Approaches
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BI Article
Mediation
Mediation is a conflict resolution process in which a third party assists the disputants to communicate better, analyze their conflicts and their options and to develop a mutually satisfactory solution.
BI Article
Problem-Solving Mediation
BI Article
Transformative Mediation
Theorists, Robert Bush and Joseph Folger proposed that mediation can effect deep changes in people and their relationships. What they call transformative mediation can change how people behave not only toward their adversary in a particular conflict, but also in their day-to-day lives thereafter.
BI Article
D.G. Mawn Talks About Community Mediation and NAFCM
A short summary of a longer interview highlighting the important role that community mediation can play in helping societies handle local conflicts more constructively.
BI Article
Ken Cloke: Mediation in a Time of Crisis
The introduction to Ken Cloke's latest book focused on the many concurrent crises facing the United States and the world. It demonstrates compellingly how our only way out is through collaboration.
BI Article
The Culture of Mediation: Settlement vs. Resolution
This essay explores the difference between conflict resolution as a process that can pursue either social peace, or social justice. The author explores what these are, which takes precedence in what situation, and how mediators can behave so that the outcomes that they value (justice and/or peace) are actually attained.
BI Article
Mediation and Multiculturalism: Domestic and International Challenges
In this essay, the author discusses his experiences with multicultural mediation and suggests ways that mediators can avoid misunderstandings.
BI Article
Insider-Partial Mediation
Insider-partial mediation is mediation that is done by a person involved in the conflict instead of a neutral outsider. Though uncommon in North America, some argue that insider-partial mediators are better in non-Western contexts.
BI Article
International Mediation and Intractable Conflict
Parties in international conflicts usually think of violence or coercion as their best option. Even if they do try diplomacy, the parties are unlikely to attempt international mediation. This essay suggests that this option should be tried more often.
BI Article
Disabilities Mediation
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School-based Mediation
BI Article
Mediation
A short introduction to mediation from BI's "core knowledge" collectioon. More info is available in the full BI essay.
Colleague Activities
The Center for Dispute Resolution Mediation Training Manual by Kenneth Cloke
The complete "generic" mediation training manual used by Ken Cloke's Center for Dispute Resolution--donated by Ken for widespread use!
BI Audio/Video
Conversation with D.G. Mawn, President of the National Association for Community Mediation
Video conversation with D.G. Mawn about the history and current activities of the National Association for Community Mediation and the work of the hundreds of member community mediation centers.
BI Article
Bridge-Building in Times of Hyper-Polarization: An ACR-EPP Webinar
A report on the webinar Guy and Heidi Burgess did with the Environmental and Public Policy Section of the Association for Conflict Resolution, focusing on how environmental and public policy mediators might be able to help strengthen U.S. democracy.
Colleague Activities
Civil Rights Mediation Oral History Project
Extensive interviews with top civil rights mediators show how even the most difficult conflicts can be successfully transformed or resolved.
BI Article
Civil Rights Mediation Oral History Project: Modern Updates from Lum, Burgess, and Froehlich
New civil rights mediator interviews provide a fascinating then-and-now comparison with earlier interviews conducted in 1999-2001. So much has changed--AND--so much has stayed the same!
Related Folders
Mediators and Conciliators
Mediators and Conciliators help deeply-conflicted parties break down their polarization and escalation by helping them, often for the first time, really listen to and come to understand the concerns of the other side, and helping them reframe their conflict, so they no longer see it as the fault of the other side, but rather as a mutual problem that can be solved.
Related Folders
Mediators
Mediators help negotiators work through disputes that they cannot solve on their own. They help the parties convene and facilitate meetings, communicate effectively, earn trust, work through emotional issues, identify mutually beneficial possibilities, conclude agreements, and then implement those agreements.
Colleague Activities
National Association for Community Mediation
A member organization, and a hub for advancing the work of community mediators, aggregating their wisdom and amplifying their voice.
Colleague Activities
Mediators Beyond Borders International
MBBI builds local skills for peace and promotes mediation worldwide, emphasizing inclusivity cultural competency, and trauma healing.
Colleague Activities
Critical reflection: Ethical marketing of conflict resolution services
Samantha Hardy argues that mediators need to be very careful to use an honest and accurate approach to marketing, to develop credibility and maintain the legitimacy of the field.
Colleague Activities
Youth-Inclusive Guide to Peace Mediation
Mediation processes that include young people are more likely to generate better conflict analyses, broader national ownership, greater legitimacy, and improved prospects of more sustainable peace.
Colleague Activities
Community Mediation--Year 2
Community mediation, says Chip Hauss, is the "best-kept secret" in the peacebuilding field.