Story as Sermon and Seduction

Abstract

This essay reviews Eric R. Galton's and Lela P. Love’s edited compendium, "Stories Mediators Tell" (ABA, 2012). The review essay applauds the text, but notes that more stories must be added to the canon. In an effort to expand Galton & Love's harmony, the essay adds a contrapuntal tone, offering a mediation story of its own. The author of this review essay concludes that, as advocates for the process, mediation scholars and practitioners must elaborate upon Galton & Love's beginning. We must tell all the mediation stories, the happy and the sad, the ones where people are saved and the ones where people are hurt. It is only by telling these more difficult stories — the ones with not such happy endings — that we can continue to evolve as a community of practitioners.

Keywords: mediation, story telling, justice, coercion

JEL Classification: K49