The Association for Conflict Resolution Presents Roundtable Breakfast: The Self-Determination Principle: Mediation And The Moral Realm

What connection does the mediation process have with the moral dimension of human life? Usually, it is seen as a method of reaching agreements and solving problems, but does mediation have a dimension that goes beyond these practical functions and reaches into the moral realm? This talk will suggest that it does, based on the work of feminist and relational thinkers like Carol Gilligan and others, and on new legal theories based on “virtue ethics.” The talk will also explore how the “fundamental principle” of self-determination in mediation can only be fully understood if the moral dimension of the process is acknowledged. Additionally, this discussion will provide examples of how mediation can be practiced in ways that support the moral impulse that underlies engagement in conflict for many parties.