Early History Of Mediation Essay

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The Early History: Overview of Mediation

Mediation in one form or another has been practiced for many centuries.
Cultures throughout the ancient world practiced traditional means of peacemaking, some of which are resurfacing today. Examples include the Arabic practice of sulha mediation, the Navajo practice of restorative justice known as hozhooji naat'aanii, and a variety of reconciliation rituals practiced throughout Africa. In many cultures, a respected elder played the role of the mediator, encouraging disputing neighbors or families to resolve their differences for the good of the community. The ancient Greeks and Romans utilized a judicial mediation system that can best be described as a blend of mediation and arbitration.

During …show more content…

Department of Justice supported by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 established the Community Relations Services (CRS) to resolve disputes related to discriminatory practices. In addition the U.S. Department of Justice and the American Arbitration Association (AAA) collaborated to establish the National Center for Dispute Settlement in Washington D.C. Thus was born the concept of community mediation using the basic principles of labor Negotiation, Mediation and the science of Human Development. The concept was born out of the need for a process that encouraged social justice and supported parties’ empowerment, recognition and self-determination. The orientation of the mediation process had a heavy underpinning that was based on providing parties the opportunity to change their interaction, to be held accountable for their behavior and to build/re-build relationships if they so choose.

A pivotal point in the evolution of community mediation and the expansion of mediation and ADR in general was the Pound Conference held in 1976. The Pound Conference -- formally known as the National Conference on the Causes of Popular Dissatisfaction with the Administration of Justice -- took place April 7-9, 1976 in Minneapolis, Minn. The event was a meeting of some 200 judges, legal scholars, and leaders of the bar who had gathered to examine concerns about the efficiency and fairness of court systems and their …show more content…

The concept reveals the transformative potential of mediation, showing what that potential is, why it is important, and how it can be realized in practice.

The late 1990’s was exciting and brought a new wave of interest to the field as the use of facilitative and transformative mediation moved into the workplace, mental health, agricultural community, foster care and adoption, and police community disputes.

2000’s
The thrust to expand mediation processes and skills within American schools became the theme for the next millennium. The ADR field, led by community mediation centers and other conflict resolution agencies and organizations, collectively committed to promoting and providing comprehensive youth initiatives that included conflict resolution education, peer mediation and peaceable schools programs to address the growing school violence. Report after report from the US Department of Education and US Department of Justice on school violence noted the importance of teaching students conflict management skills; teaching students how to resolve disputes peacefully; and peace

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