Mediators, Metaphors, & the Movies

Download or read book Mediators, Metaphors, & the Movies written by Jennifer Lynn Schulz and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: My research reveals that filmic mediators make at least three deviations from 'proper' mediation practice, and yet, they are successful, heroic conflict resolvers. First, their mediations are not voluntary, as mandated by conflict resolution scholars, yet they are safe. Second, filmic mediators are not neutral, and are more directive and evaluative than classical mediation permits. However, because they successfully individualise their approaches to each disputant and dispute, they are successful, and their lack of neutrality does not seem to matter. Thirdly, all of the mediators in my filmic sample take an approach to mediation that celebrates emotion and pleasure, contrary to many conflict resolution theorists who write about the importance of emotion, but do not privilege emotion in practice. Further, my analysisdemonstrates that not all mediators mediate the same way; there are at least five mediation styles depicted in my films: deceptive, magical/mystical, instinctual, precise/scientific, and a co-mediation style. Using feminist and metaphor interpretative lenses, I analyse five conflict resolution films to answer the questions: what metaphor describes filmic mediators, what can we learn from that metaphor, and what does it tell us about meditation style? Chocolat, Soul Food, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Spitfire Grill, and Mostly Martha all depict mediators, employ the metaphor of the 'mediator as cook', address meaning through the metaphor of food preparation, and provide insights into diverse mediation styles and practices. Taking a cultural legal approach to mediation, metaphors, and the movies means taking mediation seriously, and taking mediation seriously mans having fun. Chocolat, Soul Food, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Spitfire Grill and Mostly Martha provide hope that pleasure can be gained from the mediation process and its ability to resolve disputes and repair relationships. My cultural legal approach demonstrates a metaphor for mediation that is inclusive and rich, aptly describes mediator diversity and heroism, and can be put to extensive meaning-making and pedagogical use. Hopefully this study will stimulate further interest in mediation and film, metaphors for mediators, and cultural analyses of conflict resolution.