How Do We Get Party B to Agree to Mediate?
It’s a deceptively simple question. After all, mediation is voluntary. If one person says no, that should be the end of it. Yet, in practice, mediators are regularly drawn into the space between willingness and refusal. How far should they go in encouraging participation? When
WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: NeuroTribes: The Untold History of Autism and the Potential of Neurodiversity, by Steve Silberman
There is a lot of noise about autism at the moment: claims, counterclaims, politics, and misinformation. But confusion about autism is not new. The boundaries of what it means, and the tension between those searching for a cause or cure and those seeking real support,
Dr Judith Rafferty Presents on Trauma, Justice, and Healing at the International Association of Genocide Studies Conference
Adjunct Senior Research Fellow Dr Judith Rafferty represented The Cairns Institute at the 2025 Conference of the International Association of Genocide Studies (IAGS) in Johannesburg, South Africa (20–24 October 2025). The event, themed The Challenge of ‘Never Again’: Engaging with Protection and Prevention of Genocide,
Conflict Management Academy at the National Mediation Conference
In September, the Conflict Management Academy (CMA) hosted a vibrant stall at the National Mediation Conference. CMA Director Dr Samantha Hardy and Trainer & Coach Mentor Dr Judith Rafferty had a fantastic time connecting with friends, colleagues, and conference participants — and, of course, sharing
Are Conflicts Really Getting Harder, or Are Mediators Just Getting Nostalgic?
Samantha Hardy and Peter Hanson Every mediator, at some point, has sighed over coffee or in supervision and said: “The cases are getting harder these days.” But is that true? Are disputes genuinely more complex and intractable, or are we simply remembering the past through
WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: Strong Ground, by Brené Brown
Brené Brown’s new book updates some of her work on daring leadership, and includes excerpts from others’ work (including Adam Grant, Ginny Clarke, Amy Webb, Sarah Lewis, Dan Pink, Aiko Bethea, and Abby Wambach) relating to the two main themes: (1) the role paradoxical thinking