Doppler and Newton

Chris Moore: Contexts in which the Center for Dispute Resolution Works - Video (8/20/10)
Chris Moore
Chris Moore talks about the focus of CDR's work: large, multi-party disputes that often involve the public, organizational and policy-level work, and work in international disputes.

Can Religious Differences Be Mediated? (8/16/10)
Donal O’Reardon
Religious beliefs regularly motivate actions that cause conflict between people. From the point of view of mediation, it is natural to ask whether conflicts that have their source in religious views can be mediated and, if so, what might the framework of such a mediation look like? This article argues that religiously motivated conflict can be mediated, but that there are criteria that must be satisfied for such a mediation to take place. Mediation too, must look at itself and understand that some of its basic ideals (autonomy and self-determination) mean it can only mediate if these values are endorsed by both parties.

L.A. Mediators And The LASC Pro Bono Panel (8/16/10)
Victoria Pynchon
When I first dipped my big toe into mediation's waters by taking Mediating the Litigated Case in a downtown hotel ballroom back in the Spring of 2004, generous attorney-mediators like Jeff Kichaven, Laurel Kaufer, Bob Steinberg, Jan Frankel Schau, Steve Cerveris, and Deborah Rothman all arrived on the beachhead of my new profession with advice, support, empathy, and warnings. Starting a new profession, particularly one that is entrepreneurial, is just like moving into a new neighborhood and these wonderful mediators were my Welcome Wagon (for which I will always be grateful).

I Am Racist But (7/26/10)
John Crawley

From the CMP Resolution Blog of John Crawley, Lesley Allport and Katherine Graham.

Challenging Neutrality, Examining Privilege And Encouraging Practitioner Self-Reflexivity: A Social Justice Approach To ADR (7/19/10)
Elli Nagai-Rothe
Being mindful of our biases and examining the role of privilege and power associated with our cultural background better prepares us to enter cross-cultural conflict situations as ADR practitioners.

Peter Adler: Background of Ho'oponopono - Video (7/02/10)
Peter Adler
Peter Adler describes the meaning of "Ho'oponopono," the practice in native Hawaiian culture that helps to restore harmony and normality among family members, extended families.

Tried, Tested and Traditional: Holistic Mediation Practice (6/21/10)
Michelle Brenner
'Evidence Based Practice' gives validity to remembering 'traditional' practices and invites the professional to bring traditionally tried and tested ways to contemporary conflict resolution practice.

Marvin Johnson: Relative Lack of Minorities in Field - Video (5/28/10)
Marvin E. Johnson
Marvin Johnson speaks to why he believes there is a lack of people of color in the mediation profession. He claims much of it has to do with organizations not being welcoming.

Millennials, The New Decision Makers (5/10/10)
Steve Mehta
Yesterday, I had a conversation with a District Attorney (DA)who was about my age, about his shock at a new DA who wanted to lead the entire homocide unit within 3 years, and he expected to get a homocide case straight out of law school. (This was a shock to my friend because you have to at least been with the DA’s office at least 6 years before you are assigned a homocide, and have to first do misdeameanors to cut your teeth.) This discussion got me thinking about the Millennial generation — the Generation after GenX. This generation has started to grow and get into the work force, and I have been increasingly thinking about how to interact with such generation. In communicating with each person, you must take them individually, but you can also learn lessons on how to adapt to that person’s style if you wish to have better communications. As negotiators, you have to be able to understand the audience so that you can present better to them.

Interested In Cross-Cultural Conflict And Understanding? Then Listen To This Podcast About Cultural Neuroscience (5/10/10)
Stephanie West Allen
For many years, social scientists have attempted to explain human cultural differences by studying behavioral or attitudinal traits. But recent advances in neuroimaging techniques are now allowing researchers to look directly into the brain and to identify these differences at a cellular level.

Nina Meierding: Cultural Sensitivity while Training - Video (5/07/10)
Nina Meierding
Nina Meierding discusses her approach to mediation training in other countries. This involves being culturally sensitive, not imposing the Western model as it may not be useful for other cultures and their ways of problem-solving.

Women In ADR With A Wake Up Sound Track (4/19/10)
Victoria Pynchon
Anyone who's known me for more than twenty minutes will realize the soundtrack to this Women in ADR video is a very very good sign that I'm regaining my sense of humor without losing my commitment to this issue. Rock on . . .

Praying People And Conflict Resolution (4/12/10)
Lester L. Adams
This article is written to allow “praying people” to see the role and importance of continual prayer in helping us settle our differences with each other as we walk through different steps of the conflict resolution process.

Homer LaRue: Concerns: Credentialing and Bridging Gaps between Mediators of Color with Other Mediators - Video (4/05/10)
Homer LaRue
Homer LaRue discusses his concerns of mediators not getting into the field because of the credentialing process, specifically persons of color not getting into the field, and bridging the gap between mediators of color and the "high-volume, high-quality case users".

Culture And Conflict Resolution (3/29/10)
John Folk-Williams
Stephanie West Allen recently posted an informative article at Brains on Purpose on neuroscience research about the ways in which brains of people in different cultures function in distinctive ways. References to her own earlier posts, especially What’s Universal in Mediation, as well as the work of Geert Hofstede on cultural difference are well worth exploring.

May I Now Introduce John And Jane Doe And Other Sexist References We Still Make (3/29/10)
Steve Mehta
Since March is National Women’s History Month, I thought it would be interesting to add a small contribution to the information regarding gender differences. Vickie Pynchon has been dedicating this month in her blog to writing about gender bias that continues to exist in the profession. Her theme has been to show that bias can be demonstrated in many ways in which we may not think about. Well another example of that potential bias is in the way we identify names. Think of the traditional introduction in a wedding. I now introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. John Doe. Well a recent study shows that putting male names before female names in writing is a remnant of sexist thinking. This is the finding of a study published in the British Journal of Social Psychology by Dr Peter Hegarty and colleagues of the University of Surrey.

Marvin Johnson: Increasing Awareness of Unaddressed Race/Ethnic Issues in Field - Video (3/26/10)
Marvin E. Johnson
Marvin Johnson describes what he has tried to do to increase awareness about race and minorities in the field: hold workshops, talk about his experiences, and write about it.

Apples And Oranges? Apples And Pcs? Eastern Brains And Western Brains? Another Look At Cross-Cultural Conflict (3/22/10)
Stephanie West Allen
When I observe cross-cultural conflict, I remind myself often (and still forget) that brains and the ways they perceive are not universal. To assume homogeneity can be foolish.

Nina Meierding: Gender and Culture in Mediation - Video (3/17/10)
Nina Meierding
Nina Meierding explains putting theory to practice regarding studies of gender and culture in mediation. She describes being sensitive and respectful of diverse thought processes and communication methods.

David Hoffman: Concerns, Lack of Professional Diversity, and Public Funding - Video (3/17/10)
David A. Hoffman
David Hoffman emphasizes the need for more racial/ethnic diversity in the field in order to have the widest reach, broadening the movement. He also discusses the problem of community mediation programs being underfunded.

Gender Bias in ADR (3/08/10)
Diane J. Levin, Victoria Pynchon
This is the list of blog postings compiled by Diane Levine and Victoria Pynchon on Gender Bias in ADR which have been posted in celebration of International Women's Day and Women's History Month.

Update On Gender Diversity In The Judiciary And In ADR (3/08/10)
When I posted Negotiating Gender: Why So Few Women Neutrals? I had not yet found a source for the statistical representation of women neutrals on the American Arbitration Association Panel. I've now located an article on the AAA website from December 18, 2006 stating that women then made up 13% of AAA's national roster of neutrals.

Combating Implicit Gender Bias in ADR (3/08/10)
Victoria Pynchon
Now you know the disappointing statistics. As women have populated the Bench, justice has become more privatized, lessening the benefits of diversity to those whose disputes lead them to Court; to arbitration panels and associations; or, to mediation panels.

Doing It Backwards And In Heels: A Prescription For Remedying Implicit Bias In ADR (3/08/10)
Diane J. Levin
Yesterday I pointed readers to an electrifying series by commercial mediator and arbitrator, Victoria Pynchon, which rips the lid off the ADR profession’s secret and unacknowledged shame: the absence of women and minorities from the prestigious ADR panels:

Negotiating Gender: The Old White Men Speak (3/08/10)
Victoria Pynchon
And they do so in favor of diversity. See commercial arbitrator and mediator F. Peter Phillips' November 2006 National Law Journal article: ADR Continental Drift: It remains a while, male game. I promised prescriptions for change and here are a few sent to me by Peter Phillips this morning. Peter was, as I am now, a member of the CPR Diversity Committee.