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Knowing When Not to Mediate

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• Title: Ripeness
  Author(s): I. William Zartman
  Larger Work: Beyond Intractability
  Link to: Webpage
  Publishing Organization: University of Colorado Conflict Information Consortium
  Year: 2003
  Description: Mediation is very difficult--if not impossible--if the conflict is not "ripe" for resolution. This article examines that concept and suggests ways mediators can tell whether or not a conflict is ripe.
• Title: Stepping Into the Fray: When Do Mediators Mediate?
  Author(s): J. Michael Greig
  Link to: Webpage
  Publishing Organization: University of Texas
  Year: 2005
  Description: Although focused on the opposite question--when one should mediate--this article also has implications for the decision of when one should NOT mediate.
• Title: International Mediation: A Study of Incidence, Strategies, and Conditions of Successful Outcomes
  Author(s): Jacob Bercovitch
  Link to: Webpage
  Publishing Organization: Sage
  Year: 1986
  Description: By examining what tends to lead to successful --and unsuccessful -- outcomes, this article illustrates when mediators are better off not getting involved in a conflict.

Analysis

• Title: Military Intervention
  Author(s): Charles (Chip) Hauss
  Larger Work: Beyond Intractability
  Link to: Webpage
  Publishing Organization: University of Colorado Conflict Information Consortium
  Year: 2003
  Description: This article examines the instances in which military intervention might be called for instead of mediation.
• Title: Chapter 13: When Not to Negotiate
  Author(s): Gabriella Blum, Robert H. Mnookin
  Larger Work: The Negotiator's Fieldbook
  Publishing Organization: Convenor Conflict Management
  Year: 2007
  Description: Though focused on negotiation, this article also has implications of then not to mediate.
• Title: Chapter 14: Avoiding Negotiating: Strategy and Practice
  Author(s): Lisa Blomgren Bingham
  Larger Work: The Negotiator's Fieldbook
  Publishing Organization: Convenor Conflict Management
  Year: 2007
  Description: Sometimes parties try to avoid negotiating. This chapter explains how and why this is done--and what can be done to entice reluctant parties to the negotiation table.

Tools

• Title: DiploTools
  Link to: Webpage
  Publishing Organization: DiploFoundation
  Year: 2007
  Description: A set of tools for analyzing diplomatic activities and issues--determining negotiation ripeness is among many topics covered, though mostly implicitly, not explicitly.