Syllabus for Negotiation and Mediation in Practice

Learning outcomes

This course is designed to give students:

• an introduction to key concepts and tools of negotiation and mediation;
• an understanding of what obstacles and problems commonly arise in actual negotiations;
• an understanding of what tools and strategies are best used to build trust, break deadlocks, avoid inefficiencies, and reach durable agreements of joint gains.

After completion of this course the student is expected to be able to:

• appreciate the strengths and limitations of using negotiation to resolve conflict and reach agreement;
• identify independently common challenges which arise in attempting to negotiate agreement;
• identify and employ, independently and critically, suitable tools and strategies for negotiating effectively in different contexts.

Content

This course focuses on key concepts and tools of negotiation and mediation, drawing on research literatures as well as practice. The main emphasis is on how to negotiate effectively and reach agreement, and common obstacles and challenges to this goal. Mediation is also covered, as a form of third-party intervention which at times can help get negotiations started and reach a successful conclusion.

• Deciding whether to negotiate (mediate) or not
• Preparing for negotiations ("pre-negotiation")
• Different negotiation styles; inter-cultural and gender issues
• Negotiating from strength - even when you are 'weak'
• Mediation vs. facilitation: What works best and when?
• Tools of an effective mediator
• Tools of multilateral negotiations: leadership/chairing, single negotiating texts
• Negotiating the non-negotiable: tough issues, tough people

Students learn negotiation concepts and practice tools in exercises and simulations. These take place in settings ranging from the interpersonal and communal to the global.

Instruction

The course is taught through short lectures with discussion and practical exercises.

Assessment

The final course mark will be based on performance in fulfiling the following three requirements:

1. Active participation in and contributions to teaching sessions;
2. A short written in-class examination;
3. A written analytical assignment of no more than 5000 words.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.