Abstract of "Narrative Mediation: A New Approach to Conflict Resolution" by Winslade, John and Gerald Monk.

Conflict Consortium Abstract

The narrative approach holds that the stories that we tell about ourselves and our conflicts influence how we perceive and react. Our values, interests, and desires are not pre-determined, but are instead part of a social and cultural context that prioritizes certain values and goals over those with which they compete. The book begins by contrasting this narrative approach to more tradition methods of dispute mediation and then discussing the theoretical basis for the narrative mediation approach. The authors describe how telling a new set of stories about the conflict can allow for understanding, respect, and collaboration. By examining the discourse surrounding a conflict situation, both practitioners and disputants can gain a better understanding the biases and assumptions underlying conflict.