This collection of essays is designed as an introduction to mediation and the use of mediation processes for anyone interested in the field of alternative dispute resolution. The task of the mediator in mediation is to facilitate an agreement between the disputing parties. These essays review the use and practice of mediation in relation to a wide range of fields, including family law, crime, compensation for personal injuries, business disputes, building and construction law, the environment and labour relations. Papers are alsoincluded which aim to orientate the reader to the principles of mediation and interest-based dispute resolution and the issues these raise for the future of conflict resolution services, including ethical issues in mediation, mediation training, and the present and future development of mediation services within organizations, communities and the court system.

Written by international practitioners and scholars, this pioneering work offers important insights into peace mediation practice today and the role of third parties in the resolution of armed conflicts. The authors reveal how peace mediation has developed into a complex arena and how multifaceted assistance has become an indispensable part of it. Offering unique reflections on the new frameworks set out by the UN, they look at the challenges and opportunities of third-party involvement. With its policy focus and real-world examples from across the globe, this is essential reading for researchers of peace and conflict studies, and a go-to reference point for advisors involved in peace processes.

Written by international practitioners and scholars, this pioneering work offers important insights into peace mediation practice today and the role of third parties in the resolution of armed conflicts. The authors reveal how peace mediation has developed into a complex arena and how multifaceted assistance has become an indispensable part of it. Offering unique reflections on the new frameworks set out by the UN, they look at the challenges and opportunities of third-party involvement. With its policy focus and real-world examples from across the globe, this is essential reading for researchers of peace and conflict studies, and a go-to reference point for advisors involved in peace processes.

In the post-9/11 era, media technologies have become increasingly intertwined with vertical power as airwaves, airports, air space, and orbit have been commandeered to support national security and defense. In this book, Lisa Parks develops the concept of vertical mediation to explore how audiovisual cultures enact and infer power relations far beyond the screen. Focusing on TV news, airport checkpoints, satellite imagery, and drone media, Parks demonstrates how "coverage" makes vertical space intelligible to global publics in new ways and powerfully reveals what is at stake in controlling it.

"Over the past thirty years, there has been a dramatic shift in the way the legal system approaches family disputes. Traditionally, family disputes were resolved through an 'adversary' system: opposing parties appealed to a judge who determined which party was at fault and how the marital assets - including the children - should be divided. Now, many family courts are opting for a 'problem-solving' model in which courts attempt to restructure families by resolving both legal and nonlegal issues. At the same time, American families have changed dramatically. Divorce rates have slowed, while the number of children born and raised outside of marriage has increased sharply. Grandparents and same-sex partners care for children, and more fathers seek an active role in their children's lives. As a result, families in today's court system have become more diverse and their legal situations more complex. In Divorced from Reality, Jane C. Murphy and Jana B. Singer argue that the current 'problem-solving' model fails to address the realities of today's families. While today's dispute resolution regime may represent an improvement over its more adversary predecessor, it is built largely around the model of a divorcing nuclear family with lawyers representing all parties - a model that fits poorly with the realities of today's disputing families. And courts may no longer be the best place for families in conflict. To serve the families it is meant to help, the legal system must adapt and reshape itself"--Unedited summary from book jacket.