Mediating High Conflict Matters

Abstract

To what extent is practice and training adapting to meet the challenge of an increase in high conflict levels in dispute resolution – including developments in social media and electronic communications? This article explores recent changes in disputants’ conflict behaviour, together with potential implications for practitioner skills, strategies, values and training. It will provide some theoretical frameworks related to conflict behaviour and conflict ideologies that can be applied to practice. Recent developments in electronic and social mass media communications are explored, together with the impact these have had on conflict patterns in dispute resolution. It considers the extent to which developments in conflict behaviour may need to be challenged more overtly by mediators, for example through a more pro-active mentoring dialogue, including in individual pre-mediation meetings. Finally it offers some recommendations as to how such challenges and ideas for change, can be utilised in a way that does not impair the quality of the client mediator relationship.