By Mikita Weaver “The problem here is that there are two competing narratives of the history of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and they are both true – and they don’t meet!” ~Israel Politican Naomi Chazan Growing up as a kid and getting in arguments with my sisters, I always found it amazing how different my version …
By Mikita Weaver The burqa is not a sign of religion. It is a sign of subservience . It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic. ~French President Nicolas Sarkozy Europe is deeply embroiled in a raging conflict over something quite small and ordinary: a simple piece of cloth that some …
By Mikita Weaver In 2010, Uganda was usurped in a conflict regarding anti-homosexual legislation and a clause mandating the death penalty. Rwanda contemplated criminalizing homosexuality until rapid-fire global campaign spread via internet forcing Paul Kagame’s government to announce that they would not be intervening in the private lives of its citizens. Today, Malawi faces the …
Peacebuilding is strategic, elusive, complex, and predicated on hope. Hope that a collaborative pursuit of common interests will afford a better future for our children. This is nowhere more evident than in the emerging work of faith-based diplomacy. Track two diplomacy is proving to be the sophisticated, cutting-edge, 21st century transactional diplomatic process among state …
By Zach Ulrich Our ADR Times Contributing Editor, Zach Ulrich, had the opportunity to sit down with expert international mediator and arbitrator Eric van Ginkel, and discuss topics including the role of culture and language in international disputes, differences between international and intranational conflicts, and Mr. van Ginkel’s career as a neutral. A consummate commercial …
By Jasper Ozbirn In negotiation theory, it is a basic beginner’s rule not to start with your best offer, or your “bottom line.” When I first heard this, I wondered, “Why not?” I had always negotiated by simply deciding what I would pay for an item, and then walking in and offering that price. If …
By David C. Peterson It’s no secret that insurance carriers have altered their practices in the past several years. Authority and independent judgment they previously possessed has been removed from adjusters, managers, and supervisors as executives in the companies strive for uniformity in claims handling and ironclad control over settlement decisions. Rarely at mediation is …
After a long day of negotiations, the parties have finally agreed on a way to resolve the case and settle their dispute, however, there is still one more decision to make—whether to put that agreement in a stipulated judgment or a settlement agreement. On the surface, the two options look very similar. Both include the …
Mike was excited. The classes were over at last, the internship was done, and he’d been approved for the civil panel. Today was his first solo mediation. He opened the door and strode in. The lawyers and their clients looked up expectantly at Mike. He froze. What should he say next? Where we begin a …
By Mikita Weaver I was fortunate enough to attend a Horse Race in Hong Kong. I heard about the race from a friend I met while traveling who just so happened to be a horse jockey in the United States. We were both eager to see what proved to be an exhilarating cultural experience. Apparently, …