A communication perspective for mediation: Translating theory into practice

Abstract

Communication and mediation are connected in both theory and practice. Yet, while significant advances have been made in the realm of communication theory and conflict resolution, mediation still largely employs an outdated perspective of communication. This article presents a process perspective of communication that holds much promise for mediators. Four concepts—coordination, context, political negotiation, and emergence of meaning—are explored as they pertain to the practice of mediation. Each concept is applied to a brief case example to illustrate the resources generated from the adoption of the process perspective.