The session is intended as an interdisciplinary discourse on interpreting and (conflict) mediation, an area in which a clear definition of roles and responsibilities of mediators and interpreters is essential. With national legislation in place in many countries as well as the EU actively promoting various forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) including Mediation (see e.g. EU Mediation Directive of 2008), the number of cross-border mediations involving more than one language is rapidly on the increase. Interpreters, who in certain contexts also describe themselves as mediators, are often essential additional participants in otherwise triadic mediation scenarios which range from judicial, family, neighbourhood and commercial inter- and intra-company mediations to international peace talks. However, many interpreters are unaware of the qualification profile of (conflict) mediators and the formalised structure and intervention strategies applied in professional mediation, while (conflict) mediators frequently understand little about interpreting and the qualifications required for it to be effective. This thematic session aims to address interpreting and mediation from an interdisciplinary angle.
It is intended to address the following issues:
1. The Interpreter as Mediator?
2. Mediation in Community Interpreting Settings
3. Conflict Mediation
4. Family Mediation in International Parental Child Abduction Cases
5. Conflict Mediation and Interpreting