Rachael Field, Bond University and Jonathan Crowe, University of Southern Queensland, Australia

• Contents: Preface 1. Introduction: The Need for a New Paradigm of Mediation Ethics 2. The Foundational Paradigm of Contemporary Mediation 3. The Development of Mediation Ethics 4. Neutrality and Party Self-Determination 5. The Myth of Mediator Neutrality 6. The Empty Idea of Mediator Impartiality 7. Party Self-Determination and the Mediation Language Game 8. Ethics and the Mediation Profession 9. A New Conceptual Framework for Mediation Ethics 10. Four Guidelines for Ethical Mediation Practice 11. Conclusion: Towards an Appropriate Ethical Paradigm for Mediation Index

'This book provides a thought-provoking re-examination of two of mediation's central characteristics, neutrality and impartiality, setting out a fresh ethical framework for achieving mediation's primary objective, namely, consensual, informed party-controlled decision-making. This book, drawing on a rich body of theory and research, will provide a valuable resource for all those interested in the theory and practice of mediation.'--Marian Roberts, family mediator and author'In Mediation Ethics, Rachael Field and Jonathan Crowe deconstruct the foundation of modern mediation ethics and then reconstruct it in a creative and insightful way. They analyze the problems created by deriving mediation's ethical framework from a commitment to neutrality and impartiality and argue instead for a focus on empowerment and self-determination. In doing so, they not only provide a much more useful approach to ethical decision making but they also point to a new way to think about the practice of mediation itself. This is an extremely useful, well reasoned, and well presented contribution to the conflict engagement field.'--Bernie Mayer, Creighton University, US