International mediating organisations such as the UN and the AU tend to assume uncritically that national and local cultures are not highly relevant to international mediation processes. The related assumption is that there is a modern approach to mediation, which is culture-free and universally applicable. The scholarly literature tends to reflect this culture-blindness, examining culture in relation to community and traditional mediation but not international mediation. Does the culture-blindness in international mediation make sense? Should culture not be taken more seriously when developing mediation styles and strategies in different contexts?

• Date: Thursday 23 April 2015
• Venue: Postgraduate Centre L1-72 (Building 52 and parking on H27 – see attached map)
• Time: 13:00 – 14:30
• RSVP: Wilma Martin ([email protected])