The Dispute Resolution Directory brings together information on a rich selection of courses and learning opportunities in the greater Boston area for people interested in negotiation and dispute resolution. The Directory is published by the Dispute Resolution Program and the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. The Program on Negotiation is a community of scholars from a variety of disciplines and professional schools, including Harvard, MIT, and Tufts University. This community shares a belief that although conflict is inevitable, individuals, organizations, and communities can learn to do better at settling disputes.

The educational institutions of Greater Boston are leaders in the field of negotiation and dispute resolution, attracting scholars, students and practitioners from around the world. Fifteen colleges and universities, three of which offer degrees in dispute resolution, have courses listed in the Directory. In addition, there is information on internships in public and private nonprofit organizations for gaining practical experience.

As we struggle to deal with challenges posed by war, globalization, human rights abuses, school violence, environmental crises, business and labor disputes, and family conflict, the field of alternative dispute resolution continues to grow in importance and relevance.
We hope that you find this a welcome and useful guide, whether you are a teacher, student or practitioner. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.

Registration is now closed for the NP@PON Mediation Pedagogy Conference.

Professors Lawrence Susskind (MIT) and Michael Wheeler (Harvard Business School) are pleased to announce a Mediation Pedagogy Conference to be held by Negotiation Pedagogy at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School (NP@PON). This two-day Conference will be held Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16, 2009, on the campus … read more »

NP@PON is involved a range of activities including research, curriculum development, training, and networking among those interested in negotiation pedagogy. The formal mission of NP@PON is to:

Contribute to the growing field of negotiation pedagogy through research and publications;
Support both experienced and next-generation negotiation educators through workshops, idea exchanges, and other educator-focused events;
Foster connections between … read more »

Dr. Rebecca Wolfe is a Senior Program Officer with Mercy Corps Conflict Management Group. She is responsible for developing and implementing conflict management programs, including writing proposals, designing assessments, conducting evaluations and designing and delivering trainings. Since joining Mercy Corps, she has spent the majority of her time working in Asia, including Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan and Indonesia. She is … read more »

Awards will be for specific research projects, not for general student support or tuition payments. Doctoral student grants are limited to $5,000. Non-tenured, tenure-track faculty grants are limited to $10,000, of which no more than $5,000 should be for personnel. Scholars may request funding to cover direct costs for research such as subject compensation, remuneration for required support personnel, travel … read more »

Families in business, whether pre- or post- a major liquidity event, often face difficult family and business conflicts over sharing assets, family participation and roles, operational decisions, inheritance, etc. Professor Peppet will focus on the skills and perspective that dispute resolution professionals can bring to such families, and on the common pitfalls that a “dispute resolution” mindset may create when … read more »

In August 2008, Sage published a four volume set entitled Multiparty Negotiation edited by Susskind and Larry Crump. They will also co-edit a special issue of the Journal of Conflict Management Research that will reprint the introductory and summary articles from the Sage collection. The first volume of the set deals with the interdisciplinary foundations of multi-party negotiation theory. The … read more »

The quality of our democracy presumably rests on the deliberations we are able to promote and sustain among individuals and groups with contending interests and views. The responsiveness of our elected and appointed officials also presumably hinges on our ability to involve a wide range of stakeholders in policy-making and a range of administrative processes. To the … read more »

Deepak Malhotra and Max Bazerman’s book, Negotiation Genius, and Gary Friedman and Jack Himmelstein’s book, Challenging Conflict: Mediation Through Understanding, received the “2008 Outstanding Book Award” from the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR).

The award for Outstanding Book recognizes a published book that advances understanding in the field of ADR.

The International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR … read more »

The Wall Street Journal columnist Sue Shellenbarger answers readers’ questions in the Work and Family Mailbox. She interviewed Professor Robert Mnookin for a response on how to get parental leave if you work as a contractor.

Professor Mnookin suggests approaching the employer in a positive spirit, with a goal of finding common ground, “The spirit of the conversation is, ‘Is there … read more »