Adaptive Mediation and Conflict Resolution

This open access book introduces adaptive mediation as an alternative approach that enables mediators to go beyond liberal peace mediation, or other determined-design models of mediation, in the context of contemporary conflict resolution and peace-making initiatives. Adaptive mediation is grounded in complexity theory, and is specifically designed to cope with highly dynamic conflict situations characterized by uncertainty and a lack of predictability. It is also a facilitated mediation process whereby the content of agreements emerges from the parties to the conflict themselves, informed by the context within which the conflict is situated. This book presents the core principles and practices of adaptive mediation in conjunction with empirical evidence from four diverse case studies – Colombia, Mozambique, The Philippines, and Syria – with a view to generate recommendations for how mediators can apply adaptive mediation approaches to resolve and transform contemporary and future armed conflicts.

“A long-awaited work in peace and conflict studies. … This book provides an excellent understanding of the concept of adaptive mediation that can be used to create sustainable peace. This book will be of interest to scholars and researchers in the field of peace and conflict studies as well as mediation practitioners who work for the United Nations, national governments, or non-governmental organizations.” (Sa'odah Sa'odah, Bunyamin Maftuh, Sapriya Sapriya, International Peacekeeping, June 19, 2023) “In an increasingly unpredictable and uncertain world, conflicts are becoming more complex and difficult to resolve and sustain peace agreements. Local ownership of peace processes, as a way to build sustainable peace, has been a mantra preached for decades but until now, this has been, at best, a cliché. This book on adaptive mediation, focusing on local ownership of peace processes, is therefore timely, refreshing and original, and should be compulsory reading for students and practitioners alike.” (Vasu Gounden, Founder and Executive Director, African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), South Africa)


“This is an important book. The international community has been struggling for decades to pivot from its standard top-down, linear, one-size-fits-all approach to mediation, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and this insightful book lays out a practical, albeit challenging, alternative path forward. Combining concepts from complexity science with grounded experiences and empirical case studies of some of the more challenging protracted conflicts of our time, the authors offer a hopeful but realistic sense of what effective adaptive mediation and peacebuilding can look like – in fact, must look like – as the degree and pace of complexity in our world continues to rise. Peace scholars, peacebuilders, policy makers and donors would do well to take heed.” (Peter T. Coleman, Professor of Psychology at Columbia University, and Director of The Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution, USA)


“The reforms liberal peacebuilding badly needs have been rehearsed in thousands of books, articles, program evaluations and UN resolutions. But the findings and recommendations rarely go beyond platitudes of inclusion, local ownership, and flexibility. This volume presents an alternative that grapples seriously with what it would mean to put these principles into concrete concepts and grounded practice in the real world of peace mediation and conflict resolution. It turns out that adaptive mediation mostly means that the role of internationals is to accompany self-organized home-grown peace processes and even protect them from overly international interference. It is a must-read for policy makers, practitioners and students alike!” (Thania Paffenholz, Executive Director, Inclusive Peace, Switzerland)


“This book is a theoretically groundbreaking and empirically rich study on adaptive mediation. It is a must-read for scholars and students of peace and conflict research, as well as for peace practitioners and policymakers interested in how peace mediation practices can better recognise the complexity of societies and conflict realities, redefine the role of the mediator, and address the demands of locally owned inclusive peace processes.” (Marko Lehti, Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Director of Tampere Peace Research Institute(TAPRI), Tampere University, Finland)


“Adaptive mediation is exactly what is needed for today’s international conflict resolution. Based on a deep understanding of complexity theory, this book offers an accessible and practical set of tools to analyze and resolve the most intractable wars of today and tomorrow. Adaptive mediation will change the way you understand how conflict evolves and will revolutionize the field of mediation. It will be required reading in all my courses, and should guide how we deal with future conflicts.” (Adam Day, Director of Programmes at United Nations University Centre for Policy Research, New York, USA) 


“This is a laudable and timely effort to debate the merits of fundamental concepts of mediation today. The authors correctly identify and criticize cookie cutter approaches to mediation. In several country cases, the concept of adaptive mediation is demonstrated to be workable and convincing. Whetherit is applicable in a wider number of varying contexts, especially the more complex conflicts involving foreign armies, is however yet to be proven.” (Asif R. Khan, Chief of Mediation Support and Gender, Peace & Security, UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs)


“This book, through both theoretical analysis and concrete examples, leads us to understand the importance of the ownership by the parties to the conflict of the peace and reconciliation process. Mediators’ delicate and yet key roles are discussed. Respect for the local realities is paramount for a sustainable peace; but without sometimes facilitation to break the deadlock, process would not advance. Adaptive mediation proposed here serves as an answer to help conflict resolution in the current complex context. When I look back on the Afghan conflict, the importance of what the book argues as key elements becomes apparent. The lack of one party’s will to seek settlement through talks led to stalling of the peace talks between the Taliban and the Republic; and the lack of proactive participation of diversified citizens was one of the reasons which threw the country into deep confusion after Taliban’s return to power.” (Tadamichi Yamamoto, Visiting Professor, Doshisha University, Japan, and Former Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan)

Cedric de Coning is a research professor with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) Center on U.N. and Global Governance, where he coordinates the Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network and leads the Climate-related Peace and Security Risk project. He is also a senior advisor for the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) and Chief Editor of ACCORD's COVID-19 Conflict and Resilience Monitor.

Ako Muto is Executive Senior Research Fellow at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Ogata Research Institute for Peace and Development.

Rui Saraiva is a research fellow in the Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Support Team at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development.