Purpose in practice
Exploring common ground across different mediation contexts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/mtp.20712Keywords:
practice, purpose, context, sector, ideology, settlement, empowerment, conflict end, communication, relationship repair, resolutionAbstract
This article examines the similarities and differences of practice and purpose across all fields of mediation delivery. It outlines conclusions from research conducted as part of my PhD in 2016. I was seeking to establish how far there is an understanding of mediation, its purpose, the way it is delivered and the principles by which it is governed that would be recognised and shared by mediators regardless of the context. My conclusions are based on findings from interviews with practitioners working across a variety of sectors. They reveal that mediation achieves multiple purposes which can be organised into themes including: ‘empowerment’, ‘ending the conflict’, ‘improving communication’, ‘relationship repair’, ‘resolving issues’ and ‘settlement’. While context does influence outcome, these purposes were not exclusive of one another: In fact, the central question is more to do with finding an appropriate starting place for discussions. I concluded that mediation is first and foremost a party-led process and this is a key factor in defining its purpose in any context.
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