This collection of articles examines mediation in a range of situations including international relations, informal mediation by private individuals and by scholars and practitioners, as well as the superpowers as mediators.

The structure and diversity of mediation in international relations, Jacob Bercovitch; overcoming the obstacles to effective mediation of international disputes, Lawrence Susskind and Eileen F. Babbitt; informal mediation by private individuals, A. Paul Hare; informal mediation by the scholar/practitioner, Herbert C. Kelman; formal individual mediation and the negotiators' dilemma - Tommy Koh at The Law of the Sea conference, Lance N. Antrim and James K. Sebenius; mediation by regional organizations - the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Chad, Samuel G. Amoo and I. William Zartman; mediation by a transnational organization - the case of the Vatican, Thomas Princen; the United Nations and international conflict - the military talks at kilometre marker -101, James O.C. Jonah; small state mediation in international relations - the Algerian mediation of the Iranian hostage crisis, Randa M. Slim; the superpowers as mediators, Saadia Touval; conclusion - international mediation in context, Jeffrey Z. Rubin.