Josefina Rendon
Articles:This article focuses on interdisciplinary mediations, that is, mediations performed by co-mediators of different professional backgrounds or disciplines. It highlights the work done by four interdisciplinary co-mediation teams in Texas. The article will also discuss some of the perceived benefits and drawbacks of co-mediation in general and discuss future possibilities of the practice of interdisciplinary co-mediation. 2 Comments Mediación entre víctima y ofensor La mediación entre víctima y ofensor es el proceso por el cual la víctima de un crimen enfrenta al causante de éste en la presencia de un tercero quien ayuda a las partes a dialogar sobre los hechos y sus consecuencias. En dicho enfrentamiento, la víctima tiene la oportunidad de expresarle al ofensor su coraje o su temor, de echarle en cara el impacto de su conducta criminal, de preguntarle las razones de esta conducta, o simplemente, de satisfacer su propia curiosidad sobre que tipo de persona es el acusado. Por su lado, el ofensor tiene la oportunidad de explicar los hechos, explicar la razón de su conducta, comprender el punto de vista de la víctima, y hasta pedirle perdón. Book Reviews of The Handbook of Conflict Resolution and The Handbook of Dispute Resolution The titles of these two books, Handbook of Conflict Resolution (Conflict Handbook) and Handbook of Dispute Resolution (Dispute Handbook), are so similar that professionals and students in the field(s) may confuse them if not comparing them side by side. This may be due to the fact that both are published by the same publisher, or perhaps it is that the words “conflict” and “dispute” in each of their titles are so similar that they are often used interchangeably. Facing Prejudice In Mediation: What Should The Mediator Do? My search for answers on best practices regarding the presence of prejudice in mediation led to a comparative overview of the conflict resolution literature. This article is the product of the information gathered from these sources as well as from conflict resolution practitioners. The answers vary considerably and even contradict each other: ignore or act assertively; balance the power or maximize; educate or use humor; stay on track with legal issues or be transformative, be a “guerrilla” mediator or a humanistic mediator; and so on. 2 Comments Mediators’ And Attorneys’ Perception Of Prejudice In Mediation: A Survey Countless times as a mediator, I have had a sense that a party’s language, education, economic status or skin color was an unspoken factor both in the dispute itself and in the process of negotiations and arguments at hand. Recognizing that, not unlike beauty, discrimination and prejudice may be in the eyes of the beholder, I was curious to find out if others have had similar experiences and had reached similar conclusions. I conducted a survey of experienced mediators and advocates. It asked practitioners whether they had experienced discrimination in mediations. 4 Comments Enhancing Mediation Services to the Spanish-Speaking Community:Perceived Needs and Recommendations We conducted a survey of Texas Dispute Resolution Centers to study the impact of the growth of the Hispanic/Latino population under the auspices of the Texas Association of Mediators. In this article, we will discuss the Dispute Resolution Centers perceived needs and our own recommendations for serving their Spanish-Speaking residents. 12 Comments Mediating with Interpreters Many mediators will encounter mediations where the parties do not speak English fluently. Sometimes a mediator may speak the parties’ language and may continue the mediation without the need for interpretation. Other times, the mediator can barely communicate with a party and has no interpreter. In either situation, the mediator may have to decide whether the mediation is even appropriate or whether an interpreter is necessary to continue the mediation. The following are some questions third party neutrals should ask themselves where an interpreter might be needed. 4 Comments When You Can't Get Through To Them: Cultural Diversity In Mediation Mediating without some cultural diversity competence, may result in substandard mediation services. One author has even suggested that mediating while lacking cultural diversity competence borders on the unethical. On the other hand, once the mediator recognizes cultural differences and learns how to address them, a completely new and bigger tool box becomes available to the mediator. 2 Comments  |
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