Inviting the Elephant into the Room: Culturally Oriented Mediation and Peace Practice
For a long time, peacebuilding has focused on international actors building social cohesion in mostly non-Western countries following violent conflict, rather than thinking about problems at home. Yet structural inequalities exist throughout the world and conflicts are one result of this. Katrina Abatis’ CSS Mediation Resources focuses on the UK where growing polarization threatens to undermine past social integration strategies and the population increasingly questions established institutions.
This paper presents a new framework for considering culture in conflict and its resolution inspired by the work of Zaza El Sheikh, a mediator who places culture and religion at the heart of her work. Through six case studies based on the breadth of her experience, the paper outlines the attitude and techniques of the mediator to address conflicts where these factors play a role. The cases touch on issues ranging from female genital mutilation to right-wing nationalism.