Mediation and Managing Peace Processes

The Institute has developed a series of books on international mediation and peacemaking, combining the best academic thinking on the topic with hard-won lessons drawn from the direct experience of practitioners:

• Taming Intractable Conflicts: Mediation in the Hardest Cases
  Written from the mediator's point of view, Taming Intractable Conflicts lays out the steps involved in tackling the most stubborn conflicts. It first puts mediation in a larger context, exploring why mediators choose or decline to become involved, what happens when they get involved for the wrong reasons, and the impact of the mediator's institutional and political environment. It then discusses best mediation tradecraft at different stages: at the beginning of the engagement, when the going gets very rough, during the settlement negotiations, and in the post-settlement implementation stage. "An excellent—indeed pathbreaking—contribution to the understanding of conflict resolution and mediation" (Jan Eliasson, Foreign Minister of Sweden and former Swedish Ambassador to the U.S.).
• Grasping the Nettle: Analyzing Cases of Intractable Conflict
  The first part of this volume identifies and analyzes the defining characteristics and underlying dynamics of intractable conflicts. The second part turns the spotlight on eight current cases, in each instance chronicling the conflict's evolution, evaluating the internal and external factors that have conspired to prevent a settlement, and assessing whether past peacemaking initiatives have in fact only aggravated the conflict. The conclusion notes that even intractable conflicts eventually end, and highlights the strategic approaches and tactical steps that have yielded success in the past.
• Herding Cats: Multiparty Mediation in a Complex World
  An illustrious cast of practitioners including James Baker, Richard Holbrooke, Max van der Stoel, Alvaro de Soto, Aldo Ajello, and others describe their personal mediation experiences in this practical volume. Each of the two-dozen cases examined attests to the crucial importance of coordinating and building upon the efforts of the many players involved in mediation. "An invaluable resource for anyone seeking to grasp what makes for successful mediation and conflict management in an increasingly unmanageable world" (Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General).
• Effects of Violence on Peace Processes
  This important book analyzes the impact of different kinds of violence on peace processes in five featured cases: Northern Ireland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Israel-Palestine, and the Basque country.