Intercultural Mediation in a Postmodern World - 1717 Words

This presentation will focus on mediation and the very notion of intercultural mediator in a postmodern world. Mediation is the process of intercultural transformation for all parties involved and also a learning resource in newly constructed spaces of social interactions. Mediation refers to an intercultural spatiality (the socially produced space (Lefebvre 1991), which is not static but constitutive of social relations (Rick, 1997). Here it is useful to adopt Lefebvre’s unitary theory of space (1991), which brings together all its elements, namely i) the physical (real/material) or perceived space, ii) the mental (imagined/conceptual) or conceived space and iii) the social or lived space (Rick, 1997, pp. 10-12). The social or lived space†¦show more content†¦Mediators are transformative learners who in fact maintain a multiple foci or perspective of both their required skills as well as in the mediation process itself. They engage in a journey of personal and cultur al transformation in which they feel they belong maintaining at the same time their professional impartiality. The intercultural â€Å"mediator’s skills, sensitivity, awareness (of self and others) and patience will be summoned to the forefront of this whirling space of conflicting behaviors, substantive jousting, contesting statements and adversarial accusations† (Townsend, 2002). Jon Townsend (2002) described the following five intercultural principles and mediation practices, which create an operational interecultural space of mutual understanding, empathy and collaborative ethos using culturally appropriate behaviors. These principles are: 1. Flexibility; namely the â€Å"mental elasticity† that allows mediators â€Å"to be a part of and yet apart from the cultural milieu into which they have entered†. Attributes associated with this principle are wonder, awe or creativity. 2. Tolerance, namely the ability to resist the effects of prejudice in regards to the views, beliefs and practices of others. â€Å"Transparency, empathetic understanding and ethnorelative valuing† are some of the attributes associated with this principle. 3. Hope, namely the ability to act as a positive role-model providing pathways for theShow MoreRelatedvolunteer tourism Essay9739 Words   |  39 Pages90,000 volunteers in 1350 projects across120 countries, contributing US$67 million and 11 million hours to scientific fieldwork (Earth watch Institute, 2008; Weiler Richins, 1995).Still more evidence of growth in volunteer tourism is found on the World Wide Web. A Google search of the words â€Å"volunteer tourism† on April 17th 2008 returned 230,000 hits; that same search on the 17th April 2012, just four years later, returned 4,850,000 hits, and included published research, volunteer tourism operatorsRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesAre You Feeling Right Now? 98 Self-Assessment Library What’s My Affect Intensity? 104 Myth or Science? We Are Better Judges of When Others Are Happy Than When They Are Sad 107 glOBalization! Should You Expect â€Å"Service with a Smile† All Around the World? 108 Self-Assessment Library What’s My Emotional Intelligence Score? 115 An Ethical Choice Schadenfreude 120 Point/Counterpoint Sometimes Blowing Your Top Is a Good Thing 122 Questions for Review 121 Experiential Exercise Who Can Catch a Liar? 123Read MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 PagesFeigenbaum−Feigenbaum: The Power of Management Capitol 1. New Management for Business Growth in a Demanding Economy Text  © The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2004 3 the strong business growth of pacesetter companies in the United States and throughout the world? How can companies renew and sustain those factors in the face of the business slowdowns and major fluctuations that challenge the longterm continuation of profitable earnings? As we continue to experience the twenty-first century’s economic, social