Course Overview and Introduction

Dr. Earwicker’s mediation course equips students with essential skills and theoretical insights necessary for effective conflict resolution. Beginning with foundational techniques, students explore core mediation stages, including opening statements, issue identification, and negotiation. Through structured role-play scenarios, they practice active listening, reframing, and solution brainstorming while developing a keen awareness of neutrality, confidentiality, and ethical responsibilities. The curriculum emphasizes the interplay between theory and practice, integrating insights from Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence to enhance emotional regulation and de-escalation skills, as well as Hofstede’s Cultures and Organizations to deepen understanding of cultural influences on conflict.

As students progress, they engage with increasingly complex disputes, covering a diverse range of mediation contexts such as workplace conflicts, divorce settlements, community tensions, business disputes, and government-related cases. Special attention is given to managing power imbalances, overcoming impasse, and adapting mediation techniques for virtual environments. The course also highlights the role of bias awareness, trust-building, and rapport in fostering constructive dialogue, particularly in culturally diverse or high-stakes mediations. Through real-world case studies, students refine their ability to balance neutrality with empathy and navigate the ethical dilemmas inherent in mediation.

In addition to skill-building, the course prepares students for the professional landscape of mediation by addressing legal considerations such as agreement drafting, licensing, and ethical standards of practice. By synthesizing theory, practical training, and legal awareness, students emerge with a well-rounded understanding of mediation as both a profession and a transformative tool for resolving disputes. The course’s progressive difficulty and varied case studies ensure that students develop confidence in applying mediation techniques across different conflict settings, preparing them for real-world mediation practice.