Mason, Simon, Dr.

 

Simon J. A. Mason is a senior researcher and head of the Mediation Support Team at the Center for Security Studies (CSS). He has been working in the Mediation Support Project (MSP, a joint project between the CSS and swisspeace, supported by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA)) since 2005 and in the Culture and Religion in Mediation project (CARIM, supported by the Swiss FDFA) since 2011.

 

He holds a Doctorate in environmental science from ETH Zurich and is a trained mediator, accredited by the Swiss Mediation Association SDM. Between 2002 and 2004, he co-organized a series of dialogue workshops between Egyptians, Ethiopians, and Sudanese on cooperation in the Eastern Nile Basin. Simon J. A. Mason has contributed to training workshops on conflict, negotiation, and mediation for people living in conflict contexts (e.g. Sudan and Palestine) as well as at various policy related and academic institutions (e.g. Addis Ababa University, the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies in Malta, the United Nations, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and at the ETH Zurich). He also co-organizes the peace mediation course of the FDFA and is one of the coordinators of the Mediation Support Network.

 

His main research interests lie in the use of mediation in peace process; the use of mediation in conflicts where religious and cultural issues play a role, and the nexus between environment, natural resources and conflict.

Selected Publications

Monographs

• Mason, Simon (2004) From Conflict to Cooperation in the Nile Basin, Zurich: ETH Zurich.

Book Chapters

• Mason, Simon (2012) 'Peacemaking Through Mediation', in: Allen Nan, Susan; Mampilly, Zachariah; Bartoli, Andrea (eds.) Peacemaking: From Practice to Theory, Santa Barbara, Denver, Oxford: ABC Clio.
• Mason, Simon; Hagmann, Tobias; Bichsel, Christine; Ludi, Eva; Arsano, Yacob (2009) 'Linkages Between Sub-National and International Water Conflicts', in: Brauch, Hans; Oswald Spring, Úrsula; Grin, John; Mesjasz, Czeslaw; Kameri-Mbote, Patricia; Behera, Navnita; Chourou, Béchir; Krummenacher, Heinz (eds.) Facing Global Environmental Change: Environmental, Human, Energy, Food, Health and Water Security Concepts, Berlin: Springer, pp. 325–334.
• Mason, Simon; Müller, Adrian (2007) 'Transforming Environmental and Natural Resource Use Conflicts', in: Cogoy, Mario; Steininger, Karl (eds.) The Economics of Global Environmental Change, Cheltenham, Northampton: Edward Elgar, pp. 225–272.

Journal Articles

• Mason, Simon; Kassam, Sabrin (2011) 'Bridging Worlds', Politorbis, 52: 69–74.
• Wenger, Andreas; Mason, Simon (2008) 'The Civilianization of Armed Conflict', International Review of the Red Cross 90, 872: 835–852.
• Mason, Simon; Müller, Adrian (2006) 'Analyzing Economic Market Interactions as Conflicts', Ecological Economics: The Transdisciplinary Journal of the International Society for Ecological Economics (ISEE) 61, 1: 81–90.

Reports/Studies

• Mason, Simon; Sguaitamatti, Damiano (2011) Mapping Mediators, Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich.
• Abbas Aroua, Hagen Berndt, Jean-Nicolas Bitter, Marc Gopin, Azhar Hussain, Moncef Kartas, Michelle LeBaron, Simon Mason, David Smock (2010) Transforming Conflicts with Religious Dimensions, Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP); Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).
• Mason, Simon; Aroua, Abbas; Åberg, Annika (2010) Mediating Tensions over Islam in Denmark, Holland, and Switzerland, Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Cordoba Foundation.
• Mason, Simon; Siegfried, Matthias (2010) Debriefing Mediators to Learn from Their Experiences, United States Institute of Peace (USIP); Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; swisspeace.
• Mason, Simon (2009) Insider Mediators, Berghof Foundation for Peace Support.
• Mason, Simon A.; Muller, Adrian; Schnabel, Albrecht; Alluri, Rina; Schmid, Christian (2008) Linking Environment and Conflict Prevention, Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; swisspeace.
• Åberg, Annika; Laederach, Sabina; Lanz, David; Litscher, Jonathan; Mason, Simon; Sguaitamatti, Damiano (2008) Unpacking the Mystery of Mediation in African Peace Processes, Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; swisspeace.
• Lachowski, Zdzislaw; Sjörgen, Martin; Bailes, Alyson; Hart, John; Kile, Shannon; Mason, Simon; Mauer, Victor (2007) Tools for Building Confidence on the Korean Peninsula, Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).