79771 Dispute Resolution

This subject is an introduction to the philosophy, theory and practice of an area of increasing importance in all professions, business and government. Dispute resolution processes are now integrated into the adversarial framework as well as being applied to an ever-widening range of private and public situations. This emerging practice of professional dispute resolution both within and outside the legal profession is the framework for the central topics in this subject.

The topic areas covered in this subject include:

• an introduction to the theories and philosophy of dispute resolution
• an overview of the development of the range of dispute resolution practice in both the legal system and generally
• an introduction to negotiation and mediation theory
• conflict theory
• the relevance of personal style in dispute resolution processes
• communication theory and skills requisite for dispute resolution processes
• issues of power, culture and participation in dispute resolution processes
• ethics and standards.

The subject is taught in intensive mode with an emphasis on experiential learning. Student assessment focuses on a written research paper on a topic of their choice with a presentation to the class of the essential concepts explored in the research. The focus of this subject is inter-disciplinary and draws upon the professional expertise and experience of the class.