What is peace mediation? Understanding the sources of conceptual confusion in the practice and study of mediation

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.