Brexit

Appointment of Mediators, Cooperation, cross-border mediation, Decision making, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Future of mediation, Governments/Public Sector, International Conciliation, International Mediation, Negotiation, peace negotiations, Promoting Mediation, Public Policy, Scotland, Uncategorized

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Effective inter-governmental relations among the constituent parts of the United Kingdom are essential in an era of increased devolution of powers, post-Brexit allocation of responsibility and contested narratives about the future of the (uncodified) UK constitution. Background One of the rather depressing aspects of the constitutional impasse in the UK is that inter-governmental relations (IGR)…

Brexit, Causes of Conflict, Conflict, Europe, Negotiation, Tips, Uncategorized

(University of Strathclyde)/ /4 Comments

“I think the EU will need to move significantly on both those key points because they’re points of principle.” (Dominic Raab, UK Foreign Secretary, speaking on the BBC this morning) The Brexit negotiation, despite its dizzying stakes, has triggered a fair amount of wry humour. I’ve poked gentle fun at the protagonists myself: Brexit Irritators:…

ADR, Brexit, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Future of mediation, Impasse, Mediation and Society, Negotiation

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“In negotiations of all kinds, the greater your capacity for empathy – the more carefully you try to understand all of the other side’s motivations, interests and constraints – the more options you tend to have for potentially resolving the dispute or deadlock.” These are wise words from negotiation guru, Deepak Malhotra of Harvard Business…

ADR, Brexit, Costs in Mediation, Court Procedure and Litigation, Europe, Future of mediation, Lawyers, Mandatory mediation, Mediation Reforms (Legislation, etc.), Mediation Schemes (In Courts, etc.), Online Mediation, Promoting Mediation, Reform

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While the Brexit saga continues to make headlines around the world, the international mediation community should not forget to keep an eye on recent major developments in the field of ADR. The Civil Justice Council’s ADR working group has released its much anticipated final report on the use of ADR within the civil justice system…

Decision making, Developing the Field, Future of mediation, Mediation Practice, Public Policy, Reflective Practice, Scotland, The role of the mediator

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My last blog reflected on an excellent mediation conference in Frankfurt on the Oder where the strength which comes from working together was clear. I started this present blog on the day that the EU agreed the terms of the UK’s departure from the organisation that has been such a significant part of Europe’s post-second…

Developing the Field, Europe, Future of mediation, Germany, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Mediation and Society, Mediation Outcomes, Neutrality, Philosophy, Policy, Public Policy, Reflective Practice, Scotland, The role of the mediator, Ukraine, Uncategorized, Understanding mediation

(Core Solutions Group)/ /2 Comments

At a recent excellent conference hosted by Professor Ulla Glaesser at Viadrina University in Frankfurt (Oder), one of the workshop sessions focussed on the extent to which mediators can or should disclose or express their views when engaged in politically-related mediation work – or more generally. What a fascinating conversation we had. It was no…

Creativity, Developing the Field, Dialogue, Future of mediation, Neuroscience, peace negotiations, Public Policy, Scotland, UN and International Organizations, Uncategorized

(Core Solutions Group)/ /1 Comment

My colleague and fellow Kluwer author Charlie Woods has likened my scatter-gun approach to starting new projects and coming up with new ideas to “guerrilla gardening”. I am sure he means it as a compliment. Some ideas take seed…. So, here is another seed. Just a week or two ago, I was reading a (UK)…

Brexit, Europe, Negotiation, Tactics

(University of Strathclyde)/ /1 Comment

Negotiation teachers often scratch their heads looking for scenarios to engage students – something realistic, complex and with high enough stakes to motivate participants. Recently it came to me that we in the UK are sitting on a negotiation goldmine. The Brexit negotiations are certainly real, arguably the most complex we’ve ever undertaken and have…

Brexit, Conflict, Creativity, Dispute Resolution, Europe, Mediation and Society, Negotiation

(Core Solutions Group / Scottish Universities Insight Institute)/ /Leave a comment

On the face of it clarity and certainty would always appear to be preferable to ambiguity, in order that people know where they stand and can plan and act accordingly. However, in a recent article Fintan O’Toole reflected on the position of Northern Ireland in the Brexit negotiations and concluded: “…stopping the violence meant creating…