Répertoire des enseignements

OADI 2145 - Art of Peace: Mediation & Negotiation

OADI 2145 · Semestre de printemps 2025-2026

Langue d'enseignement
English
Type d'enseignement
Cours séminaire
Nombre d'heures
24
Crédits
6

Informations

Descriptif

***UPDATED for 2025/26***

This introductory policy and practice-oriented course will examine the art of peace: mediation and negotiation. Following an overview of the evolving conflict and peacemaking landscapes, the course will explore peacemaking approaches by different actors, including states, the United Nations and regional organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local insider mediators. It will give students a basic understanding of a range of current mediation-related topics, including local mediation, power-sharing, environmental/climate, technology/cyber, gender/inclusion, ceasefires, DDR, transitional justice, etc. The course will also cover mediation and negotiation tools and skills (conflict and stakeholder analysis, process design, crisis management, communication protocols, etc.) which students will be expected to practice during a final scenario-based role-playing simulation over the last 3/4 sessions of class. The course will be particularly useful to students interested in working in international institutions, foreign ministries, think tanks, academia, NGOs, and the media. Readings will be available online. Additional readings and resources (newsletters, podcasts, films, etc.) will be added to reflect latest developments but are not mandatory.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the class, students will be able to:

  • Better understand, analyze and discuss conflict and peace dynamics
  • Gain useful knowledge of various actors approaches to peacemaking, mediation and negotiation as conflict prevention and resolution tools
  • Discuss and apply their knowledge to specific country case studies, including successes and failures in peacemaking
  • Develop their mediation and negotiations skills through a practical role-playing mediation and negotiation simulation
  • Demonstrate analytical thinking and gain experience in writing policy briefs (in an international professional environment)

Professional Skills

  • Research, analysis and critical thinking
  • Oral and written communication skills (through oral presentations, debates, active participation and written assignments)
  • Working effectively in a team (through group presentations and case study)

Pré-requis

None.

Format pédagogique

Feedback will be provided throughout the class. During the timeframe of the class, thorough feedback will be provided to students by email, a few days after the oral presentation and a week after submission of the policy paper’s draft outline. General feedback on the final paper and class participation will be provided by email a few weeks after the end of class. Students should feel free to ask for additional feedback, if and when needed.

Mode de validation

The evaluation of students' performance will be based on three types of assessments:

  • a written policy paper due at the end of the course, with a draft outline of the policy paper due on session 6 (60%),
  • a 15 min oral presentation conducted in groups of three (30%),
  • active class participation, including student participation during the simulation (10%).

Charge de travail

  • In Class Presence: 4 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
  • Online learning activities: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
  • Reading and Preparation for Class: 3-4 hours a week / 36-48 hours a semester
  • Research and Preparation for Group Work: 4 hours a semester
  • Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 50 hours a semester

Lectures

Lectures principales 5

  1. 1. United Nations Guidance for Effective Mediation. Mediation Support Unit, Policy and Mediation Division, United Nations Department of Political Affairs, 2012.

  2. 2. Concept on EU peace Mediation, Council of the European Union, Dec. 2020.

  3. 3. Basics of Mediation: Concepts and Definitions. Fact Sheet Series: Peace Mediation and Mediation Support, German Federal Foreign Office, 2017.

  4. 4. William Zartman, Ripeness: The Hurting Stalemate and Beyond

  5. 5. Sean William Kane, Making Peace When the Whole World Has Come to Fight: The Mediation of Internationalized Civil Wars, International Peacekeeping, 29:2, 177-203, 2022

Lectures secondaires 28

  1. 10. Arthur Boutellis and Marie-Joëlle Zahar, A Process in Search of Peace: Lessons from the Inter-Malian Agreement, IPI (2017)

  2. 11. Jamal Benomar, What Happened to the UN's Mediation Abilities?, 2023

  3. 12. Five Myths About Talking to Terrorists. Michael Semple, The Washington Post, 2014.

  4. 13. The Implications of Climate Change for Mediation and Peace Processes, UN DPPA Practice Note

  5. 14. Digital Technologies and Mediation in armed conflict, UN DPPA and Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, 2019

  6. 15. Whitfield, Teresa (ed.), Still time to talk: adaptation and innovation in peace mediation, Accord 30 (London: Conciliation Resources, 2024)

  7. 16. Political engagement, mediation and the non-governmental sector, in Conflict Management in Divided Societies, Theories and Practice, Katia Pappagianni, Edited By Stefan Wolff, Christalla Yakinthou, 2011.

  8. 17. Beyond the Tracks? Reflections on Multitrack Approaches to Peace Processes, Julia Palmiano Federer, Julia Pickhardt, Philipp Lustenberger, Christian Altpeter, Katrina Abatis, 2019.

  9. 18. Engaging with Insider Mediators - Sustaining peace in an age of turbulence, EU and UNDP, 2020

  10. 19. Women, Peace and Security in a changing global order: rethinking participation, protection and mediation practice, Crisis Management Initiative, October 2025.

  11. 20. 7 Myths Standing in the Way of Women's Inclusion. Alice Nderitu and Jacqueline O'Neill, Inclusive Security, 2013.

  12. 21. Guidance on Gender and Inclusive Mediation Strategies, United Nations DPPA, 2017.

  13. 22. Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) in Peace Processes, In: Managing Peace Processes: a. Process related questions. A handbook for AU practitioners, Volume 1, African Union and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, 2013

  14. 23. National Dialogue Handbook – A guide for practitioners (Executive Summary), Berghof Foundation, 2017.

  15. 24. Parallel Tracks or Connected Pieces? UN Peace Operations, Local Mediation, and Peace Processes, International Peace Institute, 2020.

  16. 25. Engaging at the Local Level: Options for UN Mediators, DPPA Practice Note, 2022

  17. 27. UN Press release on 2018 Pact for Peace, 2018.

  18. 28. Guidance Note of the Secretary General on Transitional Justice: A Strategic Tool for People, Prevention and Peace, OHCHR, 2023

  19. 29. UN Secretary general report on Mali, December 2018.

  20. 30. Guidance on Mediation of Ceasefires. United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, September 2022.

  21. 31. The Integrated DDR Standards

  22. 32. The Evolving Nature of DDR Study on Engaging armed groups across the peace continuum (2021), BICC

  23. 33. Disengagement, Disassociation, Reintegration and Reconciliation (DDRR) Eligibility Conditions and Practice, IOM

  24. 34. Lakhdar Brahimi and Salman Ahmed, The Seven Deadly Sins of Mediation, 2008

  25. 6. Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, Creative entry points in mediation: Accessing conflicts. Starting talks. Breaking deadlocks, Mediation Practice Series, 2023

  26. 7. David Harland, Russia-Ukraine grain deals: Mediating from the outside in, HD, 2023

  27. 8. The Pact for the Future (2024)

  28. 9. The Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali (2015)

Unités pédagogiques

N° d'UPType d'UP Unités pédagogiquesEnseignants Nombre d'heuresCrédits
54632Cours séminaire Art of Peace: Mediation & Negotiation Arthur BOUTELLIS, Anne SAVEY246

Enseignants

  • Arthur BOUTELLIS
  • Anne SAVEY

Dans les maquettes

Contacts et ressources

Contact pédagogique
CAPPELLE Elvedina