New book: The Peacemaking Mandate - Nordic Experiences in International Mediation

The Nordic countries stand out as some of the most active peacemakers and international mediators in the world over the last seventy-five years. A new volume by Isak Svensson and Peter Wallensteen is the first to examine the Nordic mediation experience at an overarching level. They investigate why these states have become prominent actors in international mediation, what strengths and limitations they bring to the table, and how smaller countries can build support for their peacemaking efforts.

The volume from Cambridge University Press also explores the mandate as a key element of mediation and introduces the “Mediation Staircase,” a framework designed to assess the outcomes of mediation more effectively by accounting for different types of mandates.

Read more on the publisher’s website.

Said about the book

‘As we expand our knowledge about the practice and concepts of negotiations (to which Wallensteen and Svensson have already contributed much), we find subfields of focus that call for deeper digging. The mediator's mandate is one such topic, and the two authors are extremely well qualified to throw light on it. They develop the internal dynamics of mandating and the basic importance it holds for successful third party intervention. A truly fine work and a testimony to the authors' expertise.'

William Zartman - Jacob Blaustein Distinguished Professor Emeritus of International Organization and Conflict Resolution, The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies