The Risks of Neutrality - Reconsidering The Term And Concept
by Robert D. Benjamin
As mediators, we seem to be drawn to the word "neutral" as a descriptive term for what we do and as a conceptual frame for our professional role. The terms "neutral" and "neutrality" are peppered throughout our discussion of mediation in much of the literature, and in the standards of practice of many, if not most, professional mediation organizations, in court rules, and even in enabling legislation. AFM Standards encourage mediator "impartiality and neutrality" in Section IV, while the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution (SPIDR) makes ongoing reference to the role and responsibility of the "neutral," as a generic term to describe both mediators and arbitrators in their Standards.
