Samenvatting

Transformative mediation empowers conflicting parties and stimulates creativity, leading to sustainable solutions, particularly useful in polarizing societal issues. Developed in the 1990s by Joseph Folger and Baruch Bush, it contrasts with traditional mediation by focusing on improving communication rather than on the outcomes of the mediation.
This method views conflicts as temporary communication crises, emphasizing the dual human needs for autonomy and connection. Transformative mediators support parties in regaining empowerment and recognition, fostering constructive interactions. Unlike other mediation styles that control the process and seek resolutions, transformative mediation allows parties to decide the subjects of the conversation, addressing the root causes of conflict.
Key tools include reflecting, summarizing, process questions, and allowing silences, all aimed at enhancing understanding and communication. The mediator follows parties’ leads, maintaining neutrality and recognizing individual perspectives. Success is measured by steps towards empowerment and recognition rather than just conflict resolution. This approach ensures solutions are participant-driven, thus more lasting and satisfactory.