Developing the Craft of Mediation: Reflections on Theory and Practice (a first printing)

The modern emergence of mediation represents the new and evolving application of an ancient and universal approach to settling quarrels. Mediation is now an established method of dispute resolution across a wide range of professional, workplace and social situations including the family, community, commercial, organisational, employment, environmental and international arenas. It is increasingly being applied to new legal, care and health sectors such as child abduction, child protection, housing and medical negligence.

This book draws uniquely on the concrete knowledge and practice experience of leading mediators, working in a variety of fields, to inform contemporary debates and challenges. These practitioners reflect on the excitement, complexity, difficulty and satisfaction of their work as well as on the differences and commonalities within and across diverse fields of mediation practice. The book explores individual qualities and approaches, styles and models of practice, institutional frameworks and personal ideologies.

Developing the Craft of Mediation is an essential aid for any mediator, and for other professionals wanting to enhance their understanding of the theory and practice of mediation.

Marian Roberts is qualified as a barrister and a social worker and has been in continuous practice as a family mediator since 1982 at the South East London Family Mediation Bureau, one of the first family mediation services in the UK. Marian Roberts is a Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science and Professorial Research Associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, where she teaches Alternative Dispute Resolution on their respective graduate programmes.