ABSTRACT
As we have seen, an evaluation of the style of mediation invoked by a third party helps to enhance our understanding of the dynamics of mediation in international crisis. In this and the following chapter, we explore in more detail two specific characteristics of the relationship among crisis actors and how these factors interact with the efforts of a third party to bring a crisis to a peaceful conclusion. In this chapter, we focus on the power relationship among states involved in crises, while Chapter 6 considers how the degree to which a crisis is ripe for resolution affects the impact that mediation has on crises. Specifically, our main concern when analyzing crisis actor power and zones of agreement is how each of these contextual factors modifies the expected effectiveness of different mediation styles – facilitation, formulation, and manipulation – on the outcomes of crises.
