Today’s Agenda (4/27/15):

1) Congress Review2) Today’s Central Questions3) Resolving Conflicts in Society (Outside of

Court)4) Conflict Resolution: How To and How NOT to

Mediate

For Tonight:

• Finish T.O. Arbitration Case

• SUPREME COURT CASE SELECTION DUE TOMORROW IN WRITING!!!

Review: Differences Between the House and Senate

Today’s Central Questions:

• What do we mean by the term “conflict”?

• What methods/means do you know of do we use to potentially “solve” a conflict?

• What conditions/characteristics are needed to effectively solve a conflict?

Resolving Conflicts in Society

What is Conflict?

• Having simple disagreements

• Failing to see eye-to-eye on certain issues

• Possibly using violence against someone else

Conflict (cont’d)

• Normally, we settle our conflicts two ways:

• 1) having a court of law legally decide the outcome for us (this can be expensive and also time consuming)

• 2) more often, we use methods to settle conflicts ourselves (out-of-court)

Negotiation

• People in a conflict talk about their problems

• 1) popular way to settle disputes between individuals

• 2) goal is to reach an agreeable solution through talking the problem out

Negotiation (cont’d)

• Can be done face-to-face, in groups, or through representatives (such as attorneys)

Mediation

• An outside party helps two sides talk about problems and settle differences

• Mediators DO NOT make any final decisions; their position must be neutral through the process

The Secretariat Branch of the United Nations is one of the best known international mediation groups in the world

Mediation (cont’d)

• Key Elements to Mediation

• 1) allow disputing parties to “air their feelings” about each other

• 2) get disputing parties to concentrate on how they will work or live together when the mediation ends

Marriage counselors are paid to help couples mediate their problems/issues

Arbitration

• Having a third party listen to and decide on a disputed issue

• Both parties formally agree in writing that decision made by an arbitrator is final

• If arbitrator’s ruling is broken or not followed, the offending party can be sued in civil court

On February 21st, 2008, an arbitrator awarded then 27-year-old Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard a $10 million 1 year contract (to this day it remains tied for the highest amount ever awarded in Major League Baseball)