Category: Conflict Theory

Recording of the session "ODR in the Courts" from the 2026 ODR Forum at Harvard University. Speakers include Nicolas Lozada...

"Making Dispute Resolution Accessible" from the 2026 ODR Forum at Harvard University, presented by Jennifer Shack, Director of Research at...

This is the video recording of Colin Rule, CEO of Mediate.com and ODR.com, for the "Can ODR Change the World...

Power dynamics rarely announce themselves directly in conflict. Instead, they quietly shape who speaks, who withdraws, who apologizes first, and...

Being a conflict resolution specialist is, at least in my experience, a 24‑hour job. At first, people don’t fully understand...

https://youtu.be/jhz_QnI2ZNk?si=56hZZbugqSaoJZqq Dr. Clare Fowler, Exec VP at ODR.com‍ ‍and Mediate.com, here presents on: "What Are We Learning About the Effects...

AI has moved from possibility to practice in alternative dispute resolution (ADR). The focus now must be on how we implement...

In conflict engagement, it starts with a single exchange. “We should focus on solutions.” “I have a problem with that.”...

The Real Practice Systems Negotiation and Mediation Coach (RPS Coach) is an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to help mediators, lawyers,...

On May 20, 2026, the “Great Reads” Book Club focused on the Dan Berstein's book Mental Health and Conflicts: A...

The opening phase of a mediation session represents one of the most critical, psychologically complex, and strategically demanding junctures in...

Conflict engagement often requires disciplined inquiry into how people defend and sustain their competing realities. In facilitation, mediation, and negotiation,...

For much of its modern development, mediation has been shaped by jurisdiction. Training pathways, accreditation frameworks, and professional bodies have...

In the high-stakes arena of family mediation, we aren't just managing schedules or dividing assets; we are navigating the wreckage...

The phenomenon of impasse in mediation represents more than a mere cessation of dialogue; it is a critical juncture where...

Caucus is often treated as the backbone of modern mediation. It is the go-to move when things stall, emotions rise,...

In contemporary conflict, ranging from organizational disputes to community tensions and multi-stakeholder policy disagreements, constituents and stakeholders often disagree not...

Editorial Note: The following materials were developed by Jim Melamed and John Helie, co-founders of Mediate.com in 1996. John and...

Neutrality Is Not a Style — It Is a Structural Obligation When lawyers step into mediation as neutrals, they often...

Recently on Forgiveness Sunday I thought about how easily we often ask for forgiveness where it's a small thing and...

This article first appeared at the end of 2024 at CBI.org. When people are in conflict over high-profile public issues, it...

The value of both open-ended and closed-ended questions in mediation lies in their complementary roles. While open-ended questions dominate mediation...

“I know AI could help – but I just don’t have time to learn it.” If that sounds familiar, you’re...

Part 1 Here. This article is the second instalment in a three-part practice series on controlling anchoring risk when using...

David Hoffman is a very highly regarded US mediator and an equally authoritative Harvard academic, whose writing about mediation and...

"What did you say? Meditation?" "You're saying that in the future there will be an academic degree in Alternative Dispute...

With profound sadness, the global community of mediation scholars, legal practitioners, students, and friends mourns the passing of Professor Robert...

"I don't know where we are going, but I know exactly how to get there." —Master Tracker Rhenius This paradox...

It gives me great pride and happiness to tell you about the release of my long gestating book "The Duck Springs...

In a world where conflicts abound, courtrooms are overwhelmed, and alternative resolutions are increasingly embraced, mediation offers more than just...