Conflicts in the international system, both among and within
states, bring death, destruction, and human misery. Understanding
how third parties use mediation to encourage settlements and
establish a durable peace among belligerents is vital for managing
these conflicts. Among many features, this book empirically
examines the history of post-World War II mediation efforts
to:
* Chart the historical changes in the types of conflicts that
mediation addresses and the links between different mediation
efforts across time.
* Explore the roles played by providers of mediation in the
international system - namely, individuals, states, and
organizations - in managing violent conflicts.
* Gauge the influence of self-interest and altruism as motivating
forces that determine which conflicts are mediated and which are
ignored.
* Evaluate what we know about the willingness of parties in
conflict to accept mediation, when and why it is most effective,
and discuss the future challenges facing mediators in the
contemporary world.
Drawing on a wide range of examples from the Oslo Accords and Good
Friday Agreement to efforts to manage the civil wars in Burundi,
Tajikistan, and Bosnia, this book is an indispensable guide to
international mediation for students, practitioners, and general
readers seeking to understand better how third parties can use
mediation to deal with the globe's trouble spots.
