Mediating Political Conflict

Catalog description

Mediation, an important form of conflict resolution in the U.S. and elsewhere, is not only used in the settlement of disputes between private parties but also in the context of larger conflicts with significant societal – and sometimes even regional or global – impact. These can range from environmental disputes or tensions in entire sectors of employment to civil war, international military conflicts or the resolution of important constitutional questions in post-conflict societies. In functioning democracies, even elections and referenda (not discussed in detail this course) could be included in the list given that they provide formalized processes of political conflict resolution that seek to chart a path for peaceful governance over a certain period of time and countless policy areas. This course will introduce students to the key features of mediation, identify important similarities and differences between the mediation of private and political disputes, and showcase a selection of case studies that highlight both the theory and practice of mediating political disputes. Participation is not subject to preconditions but students with prior exposure to negotiation techniques and mediation will find the course particularly stimulating. The single credit offering will be taught in an intense format (six late afternoon sessions in a single week).