The Promise of Mediation (PDF)

The award-winning first edition of The Promise of Mediation,
published ten years ago, is a landmark classic that changed the
field's understanding of the theory and practice of conflict
intervention. That volume first articulated the "transformative
model" of mediation, which greatly humanized the vision of how the
mediation process could help parties in conflict. In the past
decade, the transformative model has proved itself and gained
increasing acceptance. It is now being used in such diverse arenas
as workplace, community, family, organizational, and public policy
conflicts, among others.

In this new edition, the authors draw on a decade of work in
theory development, training, practice, research, and assessment to
present a thoroughly revised and updated account of the
transformative model of mediation and its practical application,
including

* a compelling description of how the field has moved toward
increasing acceptance of the transformative model

* a new and clearer presentation of the theory and practices of
transformative mediation, with many concrete examples

* a new case study that provides a vivid picture of the model in
practice, with a commentary full of new information about how to
use it effectively

* clarifications of common misconceptions about the model

* a vision for the future that shows how the model can coexist
with other approaches and where the "market" for transformative
mediation is emerging

This volume is a foundational resource on transformative practice,
for both readers of the first edition and new readers - including
mediators, facilitators, lawyers, administrators, human resource
professionals, policymakers, and conflict resolution researchers
and educators. More generally, this book will strike a chord with
anyone interested in humanizing our social institutions and
building on a relational vision of society.