Dr Joseph Spooner & Dr Henrietta Zeffert

This course introduces students to a range of issues surrounding the dynamics of disputes and to the advanced models of negotiation and mediation designed to aid in their resolution. The course also considers adjudicative forms of dispute resolution (litigation and arbitration), and discusses how these relate to mediation and negotiation.

The focus of the course, which draws on insights from a range of academic disciplines including law, anthropology, psychology and economics, is on contemporary dispute resolution theories across a range of settings, including community, commercial, and retail/consumer. An important feature of the course is the way in which it examines the interface between theory and practice. The course aims to assist students in using theories of dispute resolution to understand and address contemporary debates as to how various methods should be used to settle claims in different contexts.

The course will cover the dynamics of disputes, the forms of dispute resolution available - litigation, arbitration, negotiated settlement, and mediation - and how to determine the best choice of resolution system for your client.

Practical case studies, across a range of different sectors and legal practice areas, will help students to practice, apply, and consolidate their learning of theory. The course will also help students to evaluate dispute resolution mechanisms from a public policy perspective, and so will appeal to students working across a wide range of areas.