Mediation and Peace Promotion

The CSS seeks to understand, develop, and promote the appropriate use of mediation in violent political conflict. We focus on mediation in peace processes; religion and culture in mediation; ceasefires and security arrangements; local peacebuilding; women in peace processes; environment and peacebuilding; peacebuilding in fragile contexts.

Peace
UNMIL/Staton Winter. (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

News

Other External Publication | Folke Bernadotte Academy & ACCORD
DownloadWhat is peace mediation? Understanding the sources of conceptual confusion in the practice and study of mediation (PDF, 342 KB)

It is important all relevant stakeholders agree on what peace mediation means in a peace process. Clarity on the purpose and methods of mediation helps build trust, facilitates effective communication, and increases the likelihood of successful conflict resolution. The core principles of mediation are widely understood as third party-​assisted negotiations aimed at preventing, managing, or resolving armed conflict in which the conflict parties consent to the mediator taking some control over the process. However, these principles are not applied consistently within and across practice and research communities. On the one hand, policymakers and practitioners who work with conflict parties often prioritize contextual sensitivities and clarity of meaning over strict adherence to consistent labelling. Academics, on the other hand, require a consistent definition that allows for learning and comparison across cases and tend to prefer a broader definition that captures a wider range of activities and cases. As a result, defining mediation consistently across communities in all contexts can be challenging. This research brief examines the sources of conceptual confusion about what mediation is.


Journal Article| IPI Global Observatory
Partnership Peacekeeping Works: What Does this Mean in a Divided World?

In a 2015 report, then-​Secretary-General Ban Ki-​moon remarked that the United Nations (UN) had “entered an era of partnership peacekeeping.” And, indeed, in the past three decades, the UN has frequently and in various modes of cooperation conducted peacekeeping in partnership with regional organizations, ad-​hoc coalitions of states, and even single member states. Despite many challenges inherent in this inter-​organizational cooperation, CSS' Corinne Bara and Maurice P. Schumann find that parallel deployments of UN and partner missions are effective in curbing battle violence—more effective than peacekeeping by any actor alone. This raises important questions about the role the UN will play in the global partnership for peacekeeping in the near future.

Recent Publications

Other Activities

Media Interview | Sudan: Wie gelingt eine Waffenruhe zwischen Konfliktparteien?

In Sudan, the military and paramilitaries have agreed to a renewed ceasefire, but the chances that both parties to the conflict will comply are slim. Why are ceasefires broken so often? What is the point of agreeing on these? CSS' Claudia Wiehler provides answers in an interview with SRF News Plus.

external pageListen to the interview (in German)

 

 

Blog | Mediation Perspectives: MSN Commentary on the UN Practice Note on Climate Change and Peace Processes

In this CSS Mediation Perspectives blog, Simon J. A. Mason and Sebastian Kratzer reflect on the implications of climate change for peace mediation in reference to the recently published UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Practice Note on that topic, which the Mediation Support Network (MSN) discussed in their recent meeting.

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Blog | Mediation Perspectives: MSN Commentary on the UN Guidance on Mediation of Ceasefires

In this CSS Mediation Perspectives blog, Simon J. A. Mason and Govinda Clayton discuss what ceasefires are and how they relate to peace mediation in reference to the UN DPPA “Guidance on Mediation of Ceasefires”, which the Mediation Support Network discussed in their recent meeting. After reflecting on key points from the Guidance, the MSN members grappled with the questions: what insights and challenges do MSN members face in their work related to ceasefires? What are the gaps and ideas that might carry the Guidance forward?

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Media Interview | Forschen für den Frieden

In this SRF Einstein episode on peace research, CSS' Simon J. A. Mason and Eemeli Isoaho present a part of their mediation training. In a simulated negotiation situation, participants experience at first-hand how complicated and lengthy a peace process can be. (from minute 11:12)

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Contact

Dr. Simon Mason

Tel: +41 44 632 67 67

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