Liz Tippett (Oregon) has posted a short abstract outlining her new project, Mediation a la Carte: Improving the Transparency and Diversity of Mediator Styles. It is a must-read for those of us interested in the implications of the various approaches available to mediators and disputants. You can review her abstract here:
This article argues that existing models of mediator styles and techniques are unnecessarily limited. A wider variety of mediator styles might better suit the individual preferences of disputants and the nature of their dispute. The article then presents a model intended to improve the transparency and the diversity of mediator style and techniques. Such a model may also afford useful feedback as to (1) the extent to which parties value certain well-established mediator techniques – such as paraphrasing and acknowledgement; and (2) whether parties assign value to fundamental mediator principles – such as neutrality and self-determination.
