Straw man rising: A rejoinder to delia noce

Abstract

AbstractDorothy Delia Noce (1997) had the right idea when she argued in favor of the greater use of theory in family mediation practice. She was also largely right in defining “coherent, well‐articulated models of practice” as meeting six criteria of adequacy. However, we find her approach to theory problematic in at least three respects. Further, in selecting our text Family Mediation: Contemporary Issues (Irving and Benjamin, 1995), she sets us up as straw men and, as with all straw men, then proceeds to knock us down. In at least three respects, we suggest her treatment of our text is less than adequate.