International Mediation, Selection Effects, and the Question of Bias*

Bernd Beber

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    International mediation of violent conflicts is commonplace in today's world, and so is academic research on its features and effectiveness. But research that speaks to both the initiation and implementation of mediation remains relatively rare. This article outlines a theoretical and empirical argument that contributes to filling this gap and suggests a counterintuitive selection effect: potential mediators that are likely to resolve a dispute are unlikely to select into mediation. The argument hinges on the claim that mediation by biased third parties is relatively ineffective, and I provide qualitative evidence to suggest that this claim is plausible.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)397-424
    Number of pages28
    JournalConflict Management and Peace Science
    Volume29
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Sep 2012

    Keywords

    • bias
    • conflict management
    • mediation
    • third parties

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Economics and Econometrics
    • Political Science and International Relations

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