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Ethnic conflicts have proved to be inherently dangerous and repressive across the globe. While this signification cannot be negated, a deeper articulation of liminal existences in the conflict‐prone areas requires more attention. Using case studies with a qualitative research design, the paper emphasizes on conflict as a social force, facilitating the (re)structuration of communities entangled within it. The paper explores the mundane lived experiences of the Adivasis and the Bodos, two of the ethnic communities living in Assam, a Northeastern state of India, by making a few claims. First, ethnic conflicts reorient social relations, intercommunity interactions and economic exchanges between the Adivasis and Bodos. Second, ethnic conflicts recourse varied negotiations and emotions in their being(ness), aspirational values, and embodied meanings in mundane life‐processes. The complex realization of identities for the Adivasis and the Bodos is fostered by the exposure of fear, past loss of life, and the varied interactions between victims and perpetrators in everyday social life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oman and its conflict management model are the focus of this paper. This model has crystalized out of the three stand‐alone but complementary systems of conflict resolution which evolved in an ad hoc fashion: the institute of tribal leaders; the reconciliation committees; and the formal judicial system. These systems offer a foundation for the current efforts of the local people to sustain a peaceful co‐existence among the vibrant and ethnically diverse Omani communities known for their turbulent past. The analyzed data obtained from interviews with Omani tribal leaders, reconciliation committee members, and lawyers shed light on both the strengths of the conflict management model and the modern challenges which the model faces. The findings confirm that this model represents a coherent entity run by an integrated constitutional‐tribal order. They also suggest that the model serves as a state mechanism for balancing power between the country's major players—the government and the institute of tribal leaders. The novel contribution of this paper lies in linking the origin and philosophy of each system with the "mediation identity" of Oman's foreign policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the role of emotions in conflict resolution, explicitly focusing on mediation. Emotions are an inherent aspect of conflict and can significantly impact the negotiation process. Understanding the emotional landscape of mediation is crucial for effective conflict management. This paper discusses the various emotions that arise during mediation, the strategies for effective emotional control, and the role of the mediator in navigating the emotional terrain of the negotiation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article undertakes an interdisciplinary examination of child‐inclusive mediation (CIM) in divorce and separation mediation, particularly its implementation in the Czech Republic through the Mediation and Education Centre in Brno (MEDUC). It aims to offer a comparative analysis of MEDUC's unique non‐directive mediation model, which involves children's active participation in mediation processes, in contrast to the original Australian model of Child‐Inclusive Mediation and Counseling (CIMC). This paper uses a structured theoretical methodology combining comparative and conceptual analysis. Specifically, the comparative approach contrasts Australian and Czech practices and reveals key differences and similarities in legal frameworks, philosophical theories, and the roles of mediators and child specialists. Meanwhile, the conceptual analysis draws on an extensive literature review to explore the theoretical underpinnings of Australian and Czech family mediation approaches. The study identifies considerable flexibility in adapting CIP models in different legal and cultural settings. Although Australian practices heavily influence MEDUC, it has adapted these principles to fit its legal and cultural context. The article highlights the potential of combining human rights and therapeutic approaches, augmented by developmental psychology and international child rights standards, to create a more nuanced and child‐sensitive mediation practice. The article highlights the value of a multidisciplinary, adaptive approach to practice involving children in family mediation. It suggests that integrating psychological and legal‐philosophical theories can lead to a robust model that can be adapted to different cultural and legal settings. It advocates for future research to empirically evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of these adapted models and explore how cultural perceptions of childhood and family roles may influence the success of CIP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a multidimensional approach to collective violence. Stemming from the literature on collective violence and intergroup relations, a sociostructural model is proposed, functionally connecting the structure of intergroup relations with the variety of collective violence. Three archival databases on anti‐Jewish pogroms in Poland and the Russian Empire at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries are used to demonstrate the variability of types of pogrom violence and its relations with social structure. The results are discussed in light of various intergroup threat theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an alternative to traditional court litigation, arbitration has gained prominence in Jordan's legal landscape for its distinct attributes like speediness, confidentiality, autonomy, and efficiency. Central to the sanctity of this mechanism is the arbitrator's duty of disclosure, ensuring that the arbitration process remains impartial, transparent, and devoid of any potential bias. This paper explores the profound significance of the duty of disclosure in Jordan by analyzing the latest Jordanian Court of Cassation Decision No. 1479 of 2023, where nondisclosure by the Arbitral Tribunal led to the annulment of the arbitral award. Through juxtaposing international arbitration norms and thoroughly examining Jordanian legislation, this study underscores the consequences of nondisclosure and the paramount importance of transparency in arbitration. The insights drawn from this case reaffirm that the foundation of arbitration's credibility and trustworthiness rests on the rigorous adherence of arbitrators to disclosure, ensuring that justice is not only served but is transparently perceived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on the analysis of the importance given to neutrality in the intervention of mediators, with special emphasis on the legislation and codes of conduct followed by mediators in Spain and Chile. For this purpose, a review of the literature on neutrality has been carried out using various scientific databases and an analysis of the legislation in these countries. The aim of this analysis was to highlight the research carried out by mediation professionals on this issue and to propose possible solutions. Among the results achieved is the affirmation that neutrality is in the mediation process and not in the mediator. This reality is not reflected in ethical codes of conduct or in legislation. Therefore, it is proposed the need to elaborate a universal and accredited code of ethics, which would help to consolidate the current polyphony of voices on mediator neutrality in the countries where mediation is used. As mediation as a profession becomes more and more established, it is essential that the principle of neutrality be understood unambiguously. In contrast to the rules that appear in current legislation and in certain codes of conduct, mediators should not be subject to the constraints of achieving personal neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the destination recovery procedures through the stakeholders' lens. It focuses on identifying real‐time implications and opportunities for destination marketing authorities toward tourism revival. This paper utilized a thematic analysis with data sourced through interviews with stakeholders in the tourism industry resulting in the emergence of various subcategories, which were further grouped into six final themes. These themes include the determination and confidence of stakeholders, need for a peaceful environment, recovery from negative media propaganda, tourist awareness, and online marketing to persuade people who have already visited the destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conflict behavior is thought to result from attitudes. Attitude which is a tendency to favor or disfavor is thought to be a function of perceptions. Perceptions are influenced by our cultural identity. In Kenya, different communities have been involved in violent identity conflicts which peaked in 2007/2008 during the post‐election violence. The role of politics and natural resource competitions as sources for conflicts in Kenya has been widely exposed. This paper enriches the discourse on manifestation of conflict by an in‐depth analysis of how cultural identity is communicated drawing examples from communities residing adjacent to Eastern Mau forests complex in Kenya. The main research question is that, since inter‐group conflict involves identity competition, how are attitudes expressed in this context? Qualitative data sources were obtained for this study through key informant interviews and Focus Group Discussions. Data analysis was through thematization, content and linguistic analysis. Results from this study reveal that conflicts involving different ethnic communities have escalated over time. The study further reveals that attitudes are expressed through figures of communication such as stereotypes and nicknames, metaphors, and naming of places. Conflicts in Eastern Mau seemed to persist, vacillating between periods of relative peace and periods of escalation. Mediation has been proposed in recent literature as a sustainable solution for intractable conflicts. This paper suggests that more research is needed on traditional dispute resolution in Eastern Mau with a view to understanding how mediation could be integrated in the existing formal conflict resolution in the study area and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the system of judicial settlement of disputes by means of conciliation correlates with the rule of law, has fundamental disagreements with extrajudicial and, accordingly, less formal instruments for resolving disputes—mediation, negotiations. Moreover, the advantage of the judicial conciliation procedure lies in the ability to ensure the implementation of the decision and its compliance with generally accepted values, and the interpretation of legal provisions is the business of officially authorized officials, and not specialists who act privately. The purpose of the paper is to conduct a comparative analysis of the legal regulation of approbation of conciliation procedures in civil proceedings. In the process of writing the paper, scientific and legal approaches to the essence of the procedure for conciliation in civil proceedings were identified; a comparative legal analysis of the specific features of legal regulation of conciliation procedures in civil proceedings in the territory of the European Union and in the post‐Soviet space was carried out; the prospects for improving the investigated procedure were outlined. It can be concluded that the comparative study of the foundations of legal regulation of conciliation procedures in civil proceedings in the territory of the European Union and in the post‐Soviet space showed the flexibility of the procedure under study, the multivariance of approaches to its implementation, and unity in supporting this method of resolving disputes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on practice insights derived from using nonviolent communication (NVC) as a method of conflict transformation. After describing the main principles and components of NVC, we will present an example from the field: a crisis in the relationships between Arab‐Israeli educators and staff members of a Jewish‐Israeli museum who established a partnership for a special project: to train Arab educators to teach about the Holocaust. We will focus on a conflict that threatened this partnership, and will discuss both the advantages and challenges of NVC as a mediation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper highlights the establishment of the Ombudsman for Financial Services (OFS) in Malaysia as a good alternative avenue for the equitable settlement of disputes regarding financial services. It has been operating since 2016. However, its accessibility to reach wider financial consumers is restricted due to its limited monetary jurisdiction which is incompatible with the current market conditions. Adopting a qualitative content analysis approach, this study reviews the primary legal framework for implementing the financial ombudsman scheme in Malaysia under Financial Service Act 2013 (FSA), Islamic Financial Service Act 2013 (IFSA), Financial Services (Financial Ombudsman Scheme) Regulations 2015 and Islamic Financial Services (Financial Ombudsman Scheme) Regulations 2015 with special focus on monetary jurisdiction. The study has also analyses the jurisdiction of other countries, and the results found that the monetary jurisdiction of the law in Malaysia is still small and limited. Based on comparative analysis, this study suggests an agile approach in determining the monetary jurisdiction through a flexible provision allowing a review every 3 years based on the consumer price index and relevant reports. This way, its accessibility to wider financial disputes will be elevated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims at analyzing the degree of institutionalization of mediation. Samuel Huntington's concept of an institution is applied to mediation in the Czech Republic, in the development context of mediation in Europe. The degree of institutionalization of mediation is analyzed using the dimensions of adaptability, autonomy, coherence, and integrity. The question of examining the degree of institutionalization of mediation has not been addressed by research yet. Using the example of the Czech Republic, the paper illustrates new ways of analyzing the degree of the institutionalization of mediation. This should help with focusing on its dimensions, which are still underdeveloped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper aims to present entropy and fuzzy degrees of the truth‐based framework to handle the group conflict under moderate evaluative, partial mediation. For group conflict handling, the present work considers Thomas and Kilmann's five conflict‐handling modes: competing, collaborating, avoiding, accommodating, and compromising. A methodology proposed in the current work systemically formalizes decision‐making on deploying a conflict‐handling method with mediators' opinions. The formalization of decision‐making elucidated in the present work involves measurements based on entropy and fuzzy degrees of truth. The current work applies the developed formal quantitative framework to a well‐known case of group conflict that involves conflict among a group of engineering students. The case supports the proposed formal framework. Behavioral, psychological, and cognitive facts about engineers come in handy for validation of the proposed framework. The case shows that the proposed approach can be highly generalized, interpretable, and replicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study gives definitions of information war (information warfare) and related terms, such as cyberwar and others, indicates the purposes, objects, subject matter, and subjects of the concepts under consideration. The author also considers the features of strategic information warfare conducted by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, the stages in the development of information war, and the classification of its types and methods. The approaches of scientists who studied certain aspects of information warfare were analyzed, based on their work relevant conclusions were drawn and the conceptual basis of the paper was formed. Independently, the definition and characteristics of the concept of cyber warfare inextricably linked with information warfare are given. Methods for solving the problems arising during the information war are introduced, ways of ensuring the information security of the state are provided. Information war in this study is considered as methods and means of presenting information to form the point of view needed by the organizers of information propaganda and the corresponding public opinion in a certain group of people. The author made an in‐depth analysis of the regulatory and legal instruments in force for counterfeiting information warfare and protecting the Ukrainian people from it, pointed out the deficiencies of such documents, and gave recommendations for their further advancement. Recommendations are given to improve the current information awareness among Ukrainians, the directions of the state policy in this field are suggested and ways to ensure the stability of the national information security system of Ukraine are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines mediator reformulations when mediations seem close to falling apart. Our embodied approach to interaction analysis uses video‐recorded cases and shows how reformulations (summaries, paraphrases, reframings) are negotiated rather than offered as finished products. When mediators reformulate disputants' talk, their professional vision shapes how mediations progress, and disputants' uptake (or the lack of it) guides the directions they take. Whether it is bracketing off a touchy subject or disrupting a troublesome behavior loop, mediators' reformulation practices tell us about these mediators' professional vision through the story of observable practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration concepts at the municipal level can be seen as an important step towards a Shared Society. The concept of Shared Society was developed against the background of increasing political and social polarization. A Shared Society means a stable and safe society where everybody feels at home and respected and has equal opportunities. Tolerance and diversity are key elements. This paper analyzes integration concepts of five German cities: Aachen, Frankfurt, Potsdam, Trier and Wiesbaden. It examines their strategies and explores how they could overcome previous assimilative approaches and contribute to a Shared Society. The comparative analysis is based on three key dimensions of a Shared Society: social cohesion, joint structures and enabling environment. We show how the application of the Shared Society concept could address current challenges in the field of migration and integration and discuss factors that drive Shared Society policies and practices in cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of a Shared Society emerged around 2007. The paper describes the evolution of the concept from a statement of intent and a rallying call to mobilize interest, then a framework for exploring the costs of social exclusion and how to overcome them, until today it is a coherent analytical framework which can guide practice and evaluation. It considers the ways in which the Concept differs from other approaches to overcoming social divisions, and in particular the distinctive nature of the relationship between the society and the people living in it. Consideration is given to the usefulness of the Concept and how it can guide the policy process from development through implementation to monitoring and finally evaluation, to ensure progress towards a society that works for all and overcomes division and conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the challenges faced by societies affected by active conflict, as they regain peace and social cohesion, by discussing perspectives from Syria. It argues that an "uneasy peace" that stays strained, but nevertheless holds, is emerging and likely to prevent the war from recurring. This peace emerges out of the conflict milieu, which creates losses and bitterness, but also opens possibilities for shifting and changing. These effects are characteristic for the half‐war/half peace period and could be assets to build peace upon, but they are unlikely to stay. Now is a pivotal time, when changes in society are taking place that will determine the shape of its future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores key lessons learned during the design and facilitation phases of a conflict resolution workshop with environmental activists in rural Appalachia. As these practice notes and analysis highlight, conflict resolution (CR) practitioners can support activists by engaging in robust preparation work in order to better understand how activists work together, how that work evolves over time, their frames for making sense of conflicts and new possibilities for collaboration. This work raises timely questions about the role of outside facilitator partiality in CR processes, especially when differences of power and marginalization within activist networks reveal fault lines that disrupt collaboration and trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I use a conversation analytic approach to investigate the relationship between the location of advice within a mediation session and the mediator's construction of a neutral stance. I find that while mediator advice is often placed after disputant disagreements, problem statements, or position statements, these locations may present challenges for mediator neutrality. On the other hand, the placement of advice within a mediator's extended turn or monologue may insulate it from disputants' prior utterances so that the advice can be given without challenging the mediator's neutral stance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of this paper is to demonstrate the ways in which historical roots and social context have had an impact on mediation in Taiwan. During the investigation, the history, legal environment, and everyday practice of mediation were analyzed with particular attention to an out‐of‐court alternative dispute resolution method: town mediation. As the findings of a literature review and the qualitative field work confirm, town mediation only adheres to some principles of professionalism, and only to a limited extent. However, some specific features of town mediation that successfully contribute to peaceful conflict resolution are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the beginning of the "War on Terror" in 2001, there has been a sudden rise in interest in countering violent extremism through peace education. In Pakistan, the focus has largely been on Islamic seminaries (madrassas), but nongovernmental organizations have also been working in public and private schools. For over a decade, there have been numerous youth‐led peace education interventions in Pakistan, but still little is known about their impact; therefore, this empirical research aims to address that gap in scholarship. The study uses a case study approach to present analysis covering a youth‐led nongovernmental peace education intervention of Ravvish in three secondary schools based in Lahore. The analysis covers organizational dynamics, curricula, delivery, impact, and challenges. Despite its weaknesses in being a young organization led by inexperienced peace educators, it is argued in the paper that the organization is still able to meet its key objective of promoting critical thinking among students. The students appreciated the approach used by the Ravvish to talk about sensitive topics. It was also found that the majority of the students retained the knowledge from the workshops even after 6–12 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper extends the current literature on court‐connected civil mediation programs and provides implications for future research and court administration policy and practice. Using administrative court data, we describe the mediation case processing, explore the factors associated with case participation in mediation, and examine how mediation processes and case characteristics relate to different case outcomes. Our findings indicate that 77.5% of cases assigned to a mediation track resulted in settlement, 17% reached resolution through a judicial ruling, and only 5.5% had trial‐related outcomes. More than two thirds of cases that went through mediation settled after mediation and prior to trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pervasive physical conflict generates negative outcomes. This paper (a) thoroughly describes the problem of early aggression, (b) identifies emotion regulation (ER) and social information processing (SIP) skills as targets for aggression prevention, and (c) locates skills training within a new conceptual framework. According to this framework, prevention programs should teach ER and SIP skills early and should target contextual factors. Multiple professions are well positioned to intervene using existing tools. Aggression prevention research should consider both emotion and cognition, improve measurement and study design, and incorporate theories that address skill development as well as the social justice implications of aggression prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will share highlights of an approach used to target professional development of faculty and staff at one of the largest public, land grant, research‐intensive universities in the United States. We will share a practical model designed to build individual and organizational capacity by integrating conflict management techniques that are based on social justice principles into higher education settings. This model has been successfully utilized for more than 2,500 faculty, staff, and students (undergraduate and graduate) at the university, and is an ongoing proactive and responsive strategy in creating a mindful culture and sustaining a cohesive workplace climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the views and perceptions of police officers and staff from a local police force in England, on the training provided in, and use of, restorative justice. These views were obtained through the use of an online questionnaire as well as the recording of comments made by police officers and staff after one training session. While the overall sample is too small to draw any concrete conclusions, participants appeared to share views expressed in similar, larger studies. This study adds to the literature on restorative justice as police views in this area are underresearched in England and Wales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of 40 years of victim‐offender mediation evaluation research. This research demonstrates that victims and offenders are more satisfied with the process and outcomes than with the courts, they are more likely to draft and complete restitution agreements, they derive psychosocial benefits, the process is less expensive, crime victims are more likely to receive apologies from offenders, and offenders are less likely to recidivate. These benefits are not necessarily uniformly distributed. This "first wave" research provides a platform for the second wave, currently underway. To contextualize these findings, current and future victim‐offender mediation practices are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today emotions are seen as an integral part of conflict and conflict resolution. Research, mostly experimental or simulation based, has shown that emotional “appraisal” or “self‐regulation” can have a positive effect on conflict transformation. Drawing on lessons learned from a case study of conflict transformation involving Jewish and Arab students in Israel, this paper illustrates how the “reappraisal” of difficult emotions can play a central role in creating more positive relationships. The findings suggest that reflexivity is a key part of emotional “reappraisal” and proposes a number of actions that can be taken to actively facilitate this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various papers published in this issue including one by Vivian Gabriel on the international investment policy of Brazil, one by Ali et al. on consumer protection provided by the Australian Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), and one by Lubambo on the state-state investment arbitration (SSIA) in Latin America.

This paper is an empirical study to demonstrate the effect of the ethnocentric cultures of both Western interveners and national warring factions on civil war peace negotiations. By examining the peace negotiations in Cambodia and Angola, it demonstrates that actors' cultural values have significant effects on the formation of their goals, domestic resources, interveners' pressure and incentives, and contents of peace proposals. This paper also reveals that the strategic decisions of the national factions in the two cases varied according to the combined effects of the four factors just mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the aftermath of innumerable genocides and civil wars, the Nuremburg promise of 'never again' seems a fast-fading dream. Despite considerable resources being allocated toward prosecuting individuals for international crimes, there is a sense that there has been no justice for the victims and that they have provided no sense of deterrence. Are trials an effective method to bring about reconciliation postconflict, or are they simply a waste of precious resources better used to rehabilitate the victims? Studying the Rwandan postconflict prosecutions, this paper offers recommendations for maximizing available resources to provide an atmosphere in which reconciliation can become a reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently there seems to be an increasing interest in and demand for China's mediation in resolving conflict. To a certain extent, such a phenomenon is associated with China's re-emerging power. But more importantly, it is probably the style and skills of China's mediation that matters, which represents the emerging of a unique mediation culture, with China being its messenger. The paper examines key elements of such a mediation culture, using examples of China's mediation in regional and international affairs. The shaping of such a culture offers good lessons for mediators around the world who strive for effective conflict resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are scholars of conflict resolution and scholars of social movements, and rarely do the twain meet. Continuing an in-person dialogue, three scholars whose work touches both fields consider the lessons each has to contribute to the other. The paper explores power dynamics, activism solidarity, negotiation strategies, and more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competition for natural resources has spawned unprecedented conflict between users, resulting in litigious and legislative actions. Citizens often expect Cooperative Extension professionals to engage communities in collaborative processes to manage these conflicts. This paper examines thirty-five skills Cooperative Extension professionals need if they are to engage communities in collaborative processes. Survey methodology is used to assess the skills extension professionals perceive as most needed, and the ranked means of the perceived skill needs are presented. The results offer information useful to strengthen the capacity of extension professionals to play an important role in helping citizens manage natural resource conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes two sets of U.S. Department of State funded workshops conducted in 2003. The purpose of one set of workshops was to introduce Indonesian educators and community leaders to Western-influenced conflict resolution education (CRE) while the other workshops sought to encourage participants to engage in conflict-focused research adapted to the culture and needs of Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DOVE, an instrument designed to assess and manage the risk of domestic violence, was administered to a sequential, random sample of one hundred forty-seven male and female partners prior to their participation in divorce mediation. Nineteen statistically significant predictors of both pre- and post-separation violence and abuse were identified. Conjugal violence and abuse, male partner control, and mental health problems were prominent among predictors of post-separation violence and abuse. Safety plan interventions and referrals aimed at promoting women's safety during and following their participation in divorce mediation are identified in the concluding segment of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various papers published within the issue including one by David Syme on the difficulties and the imperative for each person to keep pace with changes in technology and another by Susan S. Raines on the lived experience of an online mediator.

This paper challenges the current paradigms used for development of on-line dispute resolution (ODR) and its application to regions in Asia that lack telecommunications infrastructure. The next generation of on-line dispute resolution systems will need to reflect both the diversity of cultures and the unique sociopolitical structures of the Global South and address issues related to peace building and conflict transformation using technologies already in use in the region, such as mobile telephony and community Internet radio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of dispute resolution have generally neglected the perspective of the disputant in favor of the perspective of the dispute handler. Exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect studies have addressed some of the circumstances under which individuals give voice to their grievances, but these have generally neglected the area of voice beyond offering predictions of when it will be used. This paper examines how forty-five disputants express voice as they pursue grievances through an ombud's office. The data yielded a grounded taxonomy of disputant motivations with placement of blame and desired outcome as underlying dimensions. Seven categories of disputants emerged from the data: information seekers, exception seekers, victims, enforcers, protectors, targets, and destroyers. In addition to expanding our understanding of voice, the focus of this research on disputant accounts, motives, and desired courses of action has implications for the strategies dispute handlers choose in managing grievances and may lead to the development of better organizational disputing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on the paper 'Enacting and Reproducing Social an Individual Identity Through Mediation,' by Ho-Beng Chia, Chee-Leong Chong, Joo-Eng Lee-Partridge and others. Cross-cultural issues raised; Elements of a public debate; Tension between complexity and simplicity; Practitioners and theorists in the conflict management movement.

The current issue reflects the vision of I Conflict Resolution Quarterly i : providing the international angle that is presenting scholarly work conducted in different parts of the world; linking with and highlighting contemporary social and political issues (post conflict phase, active conflicts and preparing through education and training conflict professionals for engaging with all the phases of tensions and discords); and interfacing research with practice. The last article, authored by Holá, Urbanová and Fiodor, analyzes the institutionalization of mediation in the Czech Republic in the development context of Europe. Raz-Rotem, Arieli and Desivilya Syna explore in the fourth paper, how academics in Israeli complex sociopolitical context, engulfed by protracted intergroup conflict cope with campus diversity of their students. [Extracted from the article]

Presents research papers on conflict resolution published in other periodicals as of Spring 2003. Marriage conflict mediation; Impact on academic achievement by curriculum integrated conflict resolution education.

The article discusses various papers published within the issue, including one by Melissa Conley Tyler and Susan s. Raines on accreditation of online dispute resolution practitioners and another by Sanjana Hattotuwa on the development of online dispute resolution and its application to regions in Asia that lack telecommunications infrastructure.