Reflexive mediation

How does mediators keep their enthusiasm and prevent their work from becoming dull and just a job like any other job? How do they avoid falling into the trap of doing exactly the same as those they want to provide an alternative to? How do they maintain the qualities of mediation?

The author of this book believes it is time for mediators to look further than merely discussing skills, techniques and models, and to take up the personal challenge and responsibility of being conscious of the deeper values and beliefs that drive them, and then constantly, during and after each mediation, to evaluate what they did and how they did it. Just as they, in mediation, believe that the ultimate responsibility for reaching a satisfactory outcome to a conflict belongs to the parties, so the mediators must be willing to take the responsibility for preserving mediation as a unique process, as it was when they started.

Even though, naturally, mediation cannot save the world , an approach to conflicts in which one recognises the needs both of the individual and of society and the essential connection between them - in both major and minor conflicts - is a necessary development. The reflexive model thereby takes a longer view and has a sustainable perspective.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Chapter 1. Conflict mediation with a reflexive approach an introduction

Chapter 2. Underlying values and assumptions

Part 1. Key concepts for mediation

Chapter 3. An overview

Chapter 4. Conflicts and their escalation

Chapter 5. Truth, dialogue and culture

Chapter 6 Active listening and movement in communication

Chapter 7. Negotiation

Chapter 8. Voluntariness and confidentiality

Chapter 10. Power and justice

Chapter 11. Reconciliation

Chapter 12. Mediation in international conflicts and the link between major and minor conflicts .

Chapter 13. Ethics and liability

Part 2. A practical step by step description of mediation

Chapter 14. Before the meeting

Chapter 15. Stage 1: Opening - The first joint meeting

Chapter 16. Stage 2: The submissions of the parties and dialogue

Chapter 17. Stage 3: Defining the problem areas and setting the agenda

Chapter 18. Stage 4: Generating possible solutions

Chapter 19. Stage 5: Negotiating the agreement

Chapter 20. Stage 6: The agreement must be checked and approved

Chapter 21. After the meeting

Chapter 22. The parties do not keep to the agreement

Chapter 23. Problematic mediations

Chapter 24. Lawyers and other professional advisers in mediations

Postscript. Mediation in the Nordic countries - past, present and future

Annexes

Litterature

Index

Figures