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Professor Maria Volpe’s Article on Mediation Receives International Recognition

Professor Maria Volpe’s article “Mediation Remains Elusive in Public Discourse Despite Its Ubiquity” was published by Alternatives to the High Cost of Litigation  (ALT) – the official publication of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution – and is the featured article on the ALT web site. The article is has also been posted on the web site of the International Mediation Institute located in The Hague, the Netherlands. Professor Volpe is a faculty member of the Sociology Department, Director of the Dispute Resolution Program, and Director of the CUNY Dispute Resolution Center at John Jay College.

The article focuses on the public perception of conflict resolution processes, particularly the confusion between mediation and arbitration in the media. After The New York Times incorrectly interchanged the conflict resolution processes in the headline of an article “Mediator Halts City’s Plan to Overhaul 24 Schools,” a robust online discussion over the misuse of semantics was ignited on the NYC-DR listserv. The listserv, which is administered by Professor Volpe, has nearly 2,400 conflict resolution practitioners and scholars from more than 20 countries.  Professor Volpe’s article noted that while mediation is as old as civilization and is gaining widespread acceptance worldwide, the public continues to lack of understanding of the many forms of conflict resolution.

This semester, Professor Volpe has been reappointed to the Editorial Board of Conflict Resolution Quarterly, asked to serve on the American Bar Association’s Ombuds Task Force, was recognized by the Middle Eastern Students Association at John Jay for outstanding faculty assistance as its Faculty Adviser, and was awarded a CUNY Diversity grant for "Finding Common Ground: Demystifying Muslims in New York."

To read the article, visit the following web sites.

Alternatives to the High Cost of Litigation (John Wiley & Sons)

International Mediation Institute

To learn more about the Dispute Resolution Center, click here.