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.