What's Happening in Conflict Resolution" is a weekly round up of the all the ADR news, jobs, events and more. Check it out each week and view past versions [HERE].

Twelve Questions with Lance Burdett

As New Zealand Police's top crisis negotiator, Lance Burdett led negotiations with Jan Molenaar during the Napier siege. His book Behind The Tape reveals how he talked 'the mad, the bad and the sad' back from the brink.

1 What are your key techniques when negotiating with a suicidal person?

Often people get a fright when you start talking to them because they have no idea how they got there. You've got to find out the trigger and stay in that zone - I call it the death zone. Then you find out what's kept them going - that's the hook. Maybe they love their dog, their family, something else - talk to them about that, then go back a bit deeper into what got them there. You take them from the hook to the trigger as you slowly work through their journey. It's a delicate dance. We use active listening skills; asking open-ended questions, using their own words and acknowledging emotions. We don't get people past the depression. It's just what I term shake and take. Most negotiations take one to two hours, the hard ones a bit longer. If it goes much longer it's unlikely to end well.

2 Some of the people you've tried to talk out of suicide are criminals - child molesters and cop killers like Jan Molenaar. How are you able to feel empathy for them?

Read more from the NZ Herald [HERE]. 

Air Force cultural center builds trust

Being deployed to a country and not knowing the culture or language can be a vulnerable and uncomfortable feeling for military members.

And the Air Force Culture and Language Center at Maxwell Air Force Base wants to help with that in a way that gives airmen the tools they need to feel secure and communicate effectively with foreign military allies and diplomats.

Read more the montgomeryadvertiser.com [HERE]. 

Using Arbitration To Manage The Risk  of Disputes in the Uncertain Brexit Era

Given the uncertainty of Brexit, arbitration could provide an opportunity for managing the risk of disputes with greater predictability and control. It should certainly be considered and weighed up at the time you enter into a new contractual relationship, writes Richard Farndale at Burness Paull LLP.

A significant commercial risk is the occurrence of a dispute. The choice you make when you enter into a contract can have a very significant financial impact in the event that a dispute later requires to be resolved. It is therefore important to take a considered and informed approach to manage that risk, and to deal with it appropriately in the contract.

Read more from ScottishConstructionNow.com [HERE]. 

110 Years of Mediation: Principles, Opportunities, and Challenges

Claudia Maffettone- In this article I will offer a succinct overview of definitions, principles, approaches, opportunities and limits of mediation, a method of conflict resolution encompassing a wide range of practices (Burton, Dukes, 1990). 100+ years after Roscoe Pound’s speech, a series of conferences dedicated to ADR are taking place around the world. The increasing need of conflict resolution and the rising interest and practice of mediation requires deep analysis and reflection on its real potential to resolve conflicts. Facilitative and evaluative mediation styles can both make a difference, but without tailoring any intervention to the specific context, both styles can present dangerous pitfalls. Ultimately, while mediation can definitely improve dynamics among individuals in the same community, in structurally violent systems, it can contribute to maintaining privilege rather than altering the status quo.

Read more from Mediate.com [HERE]. 

Fellowship Opportunity With District of Columbia Education Ombuds

The Ombudsman for Public Education in Washington DC is accepting applications for its third cohort of fellows. The Ombudsman Fellows will, "work directly with families, learn about the education system in DC, learn about conflict resolution, develop creative problem solving skills, and develop expertise on issues including special education, student discipline, truancy, and bullying prevention." The part-time, year-long fellowship offers academic credit or a stipend.

Applicants must have a demonstrated interest in education policy and an interest or experience in conflict resolution. The fellowship is typically a good fit for current graduate students in education, law, or conflict resolution, as well as for recent graduates or professionals with experience in those areas. (idealist.)