International Conflict Analysis

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Teong Yi Heong (Jet)

U021202J

International Conflict Analysis

5. Timing is very important for mediation to succeed. When should mediation be attempted? At the beginning or at the middle point? Answer with reference to a conflict/conflicts of your choice.

The prevalence of conflict at any level of society, be it among individuals, organizations, states et cetera, is unavoidable. As a premise to his argument for the Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes posits that the natural condition of man is "a condition of war of everyone against everyone"1. Extrapolating from his premise, it is arguable that conflict is inherent to man's nature. Given that conflict is inevitable, it is then necessary to manage conflict to ensure survival. According to Jacob Bercowitch et al, conflict can be managed by any of these means: the use of either physical or psychological force; through negotiations; or, the involvement of parties external to the conflict either in the utilization of legal norms or in a non binding manner2.

Mediation as a conflict management technique falls in the last category. William Zartman and Saadia Touval suggest the definition of mediation to be "a mode of negotiation in